Isaac Oguntoye, Lagos
Dr. Mrs. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, the First Lady Lagos state has enjoined medical practitioners to integrate Information Technology into healthcare delivery.
She made this clarion call at the just concluded Healthcare Nigeria Conference which took place on Thursday 11th of July, 2019 with the theme; Healthcare in Nigeria: Transformative Solution at the prestigious Oriental Hotel Victoria Island Lagos while addressing medical practitioners in the health, insurance provider services.
In her words, she said “The transformation of healthcare in Nigeria is a collective effort. We must join hands together as individual, organizations, government, NGOs and development partners to ensure that we have an effectively and efficient healthcare delivery system.
I must add that we cannot be talking about the transformation of healthcare without due application of Information Technology to healthcare delivery.”
Buttressing her point, she stated that “Today’s doctors are increasingly young and versatile especially in the application of digital skills. Such skills must be applied in the delivery of healthcare services.”
“The world is now talking about telemedicine and telehealth which allows patients and doctors to communicate at remote distance. It will reduce travel time as well as pressure on our doctors.
It is increasingly crystal that dynamic application of technology will boost healthcare industry.”
Meanwhile, she also emphasized the importance of healthcare in Lagos and how her husband, the executive governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-olu is making Health and Environment the heart of policy structure saying accessibility to good healthcare is considered fundamental human right of every citizen.
According to the chief executive officer, Hygeia HMO Obinnia Abajue, There are untold stories about the progress the sector has made about the benefits of health insurance and the value of prioritizing quality care saying “The world has accepted that health insurance is the way to achieve universal health coverage because every other alternative fails the sustainability test.”
However, the event that had three sections panelists was able to provide possible solution to mental health issues stating the needs for funding and extending the benefit of health insurance to the rural areas.
The event that started in 2017 had Flutter wave, Old Mutual, ARM Life, the PharmAccess Foundation as one of the major sponsor.
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