A Lagos based lawyer and human right activist, Mr. femi Falana, has drgged Federal Government to court over the taking of public officers to foreign hospitals for medical check up or treatment.

In a motion ex-parte,  filed before a Federal High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, Falana, urged the court to declare that the failure of the respondent, (Federal Government), to save the lives of Nigerians  through the provision of adequate medical facilities was illegal and unconstitutional as it constituted a threat to his fundamental rights and that of other Nigerians, to life, guaranteed by Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

He  is also praying the court to declare that Nigerians are entitled to the best attainable state of physical and mental health guaranteed by Article 16(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

He stated that the failure or refusal to repair and equip public hospitals and medical centres in Nigeria, constituted a violation of the duty of the defendant to protect the health of Nigerians and to ensure that they receive medical attention when they are sick as required by Article 16(2) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.