Delegates at the just concluded 1st Nigeria e-Health Summit have identified absence of reliable baseline data and the right political leadership as the main challenges facing Nigeria’s attempt to develop a holistic and comprehensive e-Health strategy and policy.
Professor Adedoyin Soyibo, Economics Department, University of Ibadan, who chaired the summit, however, enjoined all not to be despair. He said with this effort of Global Projects & Resources, organisers of West African Health (WAH); and its partners things can only get better.
“Things are changing and they are changing fast. Though we don’t have a policy in place now, we must all continue to work together through various advocacy groups to ensure the right things are done and government comes up with a policy.”
Sam Quarshie, head ICT, Ghana Health Services said, “Ghana has a policy in place on e-Health and about 65% of our plans have been achieved. We are able to collect data and monitor health operations online at the centre from the district through the regions.”
Dr Yewande Adesina, special adviser on Health to the Lagos State government presented the e-Health programmes and initiatives of the state. She hinted that in the future, the Lagos state government would stop recruiting doctors who are not computer literate.
“We have introduced diploma course on e-Health at our medical/healthcare training institute and the first batch of students would graduate soon. Also, because of the increasing use of technology in our healthcare delivery system we would come to a point were doctors who are not computer literate will not be recruited.”
Dr. Olumide Okunola, International Finance Corporation (IFC) said, the absence of an e-Health policy and a clear roadmap has significantly reduce the benefit Nigeria is getting from the IFC e-Health fund.
He informed the summit that smaller countries like Kenya, Tanzania and Botswana are benefiting more because they have a policy, healthcare practitioners speak with one voice and they are organised.
Dr. Okunola further called on everyone to who wants to develop a plan to understand the business process and to ensure that design thinking, human centred approach, ethnography and customer journey are used to guide such plan.
The well attended summit had in attendance the following personalities; Dr. Anthony Omolola, National President, Association of General & Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN); Dr. Adenike Olaniba, President, Healthcare Providers of Nigeria; Dr. Ladi Awosika, CEO Total Health Trust; Tunji Ashiru, COO Interswitch, Smarthealth; Moses Braimah, Summit moderator/Nigeria Computer Society; Dr. Pamela Ajayi, CEO Pathcare; Dr. Peju Adenusi, Hygeia Community Healthcare, etc.
Dr. Wale Alabi, CEO Global Projects & Resources in his speech said, “1 am very elated by this development and the what we have set out to achieve. Healthcare delivery and administration in Nigeria can only get better.”
The summit was organised by Global Projects & Resources, and its knowledge partners Anadach Group, USA and Aajimatics, Canada.