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Experts advocate more attention to eHealth and Telemedicine

By Wale Odunsi on November 13, 2012

The capital city of Nigeria, Abuja, last week played host to local and foreign Medical, Technology and Financial experts who converged to present a common stand on the importance of eHealth in the 21st century.

The event which was the 17th World Congress on eHealth and Telemedicine took place between 7-9th November, 2012 at the Thisday Dome, with the theme “Making eHealth Work”.

The three-day conference was attended by dignitaries and professionals who all presented position papers on the topic. They
include, Former Minister of Health Professor Eyitayo Lambo; Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu; Minister of Communications and Technology, Mrs. Mobolaji Johnson and Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed.

The participants deliberated on the present stance of eHealth and its future in the increasing global population. Several lectures were
delivered while input and recommendations made by stakeholders in eHealth and telemedicine from both private and public sector organizations were acknowleged.

The president of the Society for eHealth and Telemedicine in Nigeria, Dr. Olabode Adebola, underscored the importance of ICT and satellite
technology in healthcare treatment, development, research. He hinted that it was the most efficient method in healthcare treatment as it
helps to cover broad-spectrum of people especially in the remote areas of any society or nation, stressing that it remains the best practice worldwide.

He further urged the country’s leaders to come up with a comprehensive national eHealth policy and strategy with a proper eHealth legislative
framework.

In an exclusive interview with BusinessNews, one of the participants, Mr. Oluwatobi Ogunbayo, a seasoned economist and financial advisor called for more political will, advising government at all levels to increase its commitment to ICT infrastructure, which he affirmed is the backbone of eHealth and telemedicine growth in Nigeria.

Ogunbayo said, “There is an urgent need for increased funding to eHealth and healthcare generally in Nigeria. Let’s face it, if we truly desire to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of 2015; if we genuinely believe we can achieve vision 20:2020, then those saddled with the responsibility of governance must do more than the usual lip service.”

“In the proposed 2013 budget, health sector budget hovers around N300 billion which compared to a country like United Kingdom of far lesser population is about N30 trillion annually.”

“We shouldn’t deceive ourselves, there must be a conscious effort to do things properly and in tandem with global standards. Whatever we are devoting to whatever sector should be judiciously put to use, lest it becomes the proverbial case of pouring water into a basket and thenexpecting results,” the specialist said

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