The death of Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga in a private Indian hospital highlights a troubling pattern across Africa: leaders seeking medical care abroad while their citizens face crumbling health systems. Odinga, a champion of multi-party democracy, joins a long list of African elites, including Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari, Zambia’s Edgar Lungu, and Cameroon’s Paul Biya, who relied on foreign treatment. This practice of medical tourism reveals a profound lack of trust in the very health systems these leaders are tasked with governing. Consequently, there is little political urgency to fix chronic issues like worker shortages and crumbling infrastructure, as the elites can simply fly overseas for treatment. This exodus also drains billions of dollars annually from local economies that could otherwise revitalize domestic healthcare. Experts argue that restricting foreign treatment for leaders and investing locally would honor Odinga’s legacy and strengthen continental health systems.
Bloomberg
