NAN-H-49
Health
By Chiazo Ogbolu
Lagos, Nov. 4, 2016 (NAN) The Managing Director, Society for Family Health, Mr Bright Ekweremadu, on Friday said that healthcare delivery and public health had not only improved but benefited from Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
Ekweremadu, who made the assertion at the Nigeria Innovation Summit 2016 in Lagos, said the introduction of mobile doctors to deliver health services to the public had been beneficial and had aided data management.
The Summit has the theme: “Innovations in Healthcare Industry’’.
“Innovations in the health sector have made it possible for people to be able to take care of their health issues properly.
“It is with the help of prompt healthcare management that the Ebola case in the country was combated.
“With innovation, the development of a pre-packaged malaria medicine was got and this will enable easy treatment of malaria,’’ he said.
Ekweremadu, however, said that there was need to improve access to essential health information, services and products to motivate the adoption of healthy behaviour by Nigerians.
He said that until the health indices were right, the country was not going forward health wise.
Also, Dr Daniel Folukoya, Chief Executive Officer, OneDokita Healthcare Ltd., urged the public to change their health-seeking behaviour so as to live a healthy life.
Folukoya said the public could improve their health seeking behaviour through education.
“Gone are the days that patients cannot ask their doctors what they are suffering from or a drug’s name will be sealed up.
“Innovations in the health industry will encourage electronic health network which will enable the public to get additional information on illnesses online.
“We do not need to rely on doctors, we need to educate ourselves on our health and also take ownership of our healthcare,’’ he said.
The medical practitioner said that one thing unique to Nigeria’s health ecosystem was having a health coverage scheme that helped Nigerians to pay their bills and work with the government.
He said that healthcare is usually paid for out of people’s pocket or discretional income.
Folukoya said this would require the patient to always visit the hospital or health centre, adding that, however, with ICT healthcare delivery could be done in the confines of the home.
He said there was need for early adoption of ICT in the healthcare, adding that healthcare service providers should be pushed to do so.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigeria Innovation Summit is an event that brings stakeholders together to share trends and opportunities around technological innovation.
It also promotes the need for Nigeria to use innovation to drive her economy. (NAN)
CAN/COF/PDE
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(Edited by Oluyinka Fadare/Peter Ejiofor)