From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Medical and financial experts participating in a workshop organized by the National Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria (NACHPN) in Kano have emphasized the need for increased private sector investment in the telemedicine sector to enhance healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
The Director General of the Kano State Health Institution Agency, who spoke as a panellist, recommended private sector intervention or a public-private partnership as the way forward. He also stressed the importance of addressing ethical issues in telemedicine to protect citizens from potential abuse.
“Ethical issues in telemedicine must also be thoroughly investigated and addressed to protect citizens from the abuse of technology in healthcare delivery,” he said. “It is imperative to have laws, unified policies, and registration for the sector.”
The Director General emphasized that telemedicine is not just a solution but the fastest and most effective way to bridge the human resources deficit in the Nigerian healthcare sector.
The Registrar of NACHPN, Bashi Idris, stated that integrating technology into healthcare delivery is a near reality due to its potential to significantly enhance efficiency.
“This is due to technology’s transformative potential to significantly enhance healthcare delivery efficiency, which should inspire optimism among stakeholders,” Idris said.
He added that NACHPN is working to improve training in digital medicine to support efforts to bridge healthcare gaps across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.
“In line with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the board has adopted technology in the practice of community health in Nigeria and is working to improve training in digital medicine pre and post-practice to support efforts to bridge the gaps in healthcare delivery across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria,” Idris said.
He assured that the over 200,000 registered community health practitioners in Nigeria will continue to be trained in deploying technology in healthcare delivery. He also called on subnational governments to invest in technology to improve healthcare services for their citizens.