NIGCOMHEALTH is a telehealth service platform that has been officially launched in Abuja by the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), in collaboration with Ethnomet and Sawtrax.
This platform enables Nigerians to easily book appointments, seek medical advice, and consult with healthcare professionals from the comfort of their own homes, offices, schools, and local communities.
High-profile dignitaries, such as the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. James Christoff, the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Obiora, the Chief of Staff to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Sahalu Junaid, the Managing Director, NIGCOMSAT LTD, Engineer Tukur Lawal, the Director General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Professor MN Sambo, and members of the Nation Assembly were in attendance at the launch event.
It is anticipated that the NIGCOMHEALTH telehealth platform, which was recently introduced to the public by Professor Sahalu Junaidu, the representative for the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim, will make it possible for more than 1.7 million people in Nigeria to receive digital health services and will revolutionise the manner in which underserved and remote areas gain access to medical care.
NIGCOMHEALTH, which is recognised as Africa’s first digital healthcare platform, is a revolutionary and transformative concept that, according to the Canadian High Commissioner, Mr. James Christoff, has the potential to serve and assist the country’s healthcare infrastructure. In addition, the Canadian commissioner brought attention to the objective of establishing and incorporating more than 80 institutions that are controlled by the federal government and state governments onto the NIGCOMHEALTH platform.
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Remarks from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ethnomet
Garnette Weber, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ethnomet, praised the Nigerian government for its dedication to utilising cutting-edge technologies to provide high-quality healthcare that is widely accessible across the country. Weber emphasised the significance of telehealth services as a proven strategy to meet the growing demand for healthcare resources. Telehealth services have been shown to be an effective way to meet this demand.
“The continuous increase in the global population has resulted in a growing demand for scarce healthcare human resources, which has become a global concern for governments. Telehealth has proven effective in addressing these healthcare challenges, as indicated in the Commonwealth Fund’s International Health Policy Survey of Primary Care Physicians. In 2022, practitioners from ten countries reported that 52% of encounters would have been clinically appropriated through video interactions with patients. Thus, telehealth services improve health resource utilisation and access to care,” she stated.
The Transformative Potential of NIGCOMHEALTH
In addition, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami, who was there in place of Professor Sahalu Junaidu, emphasised the transformative potential of NIGCOMHEALTH in Nigeria’s effort to revolutionise the healthcare industry.
“As we are all aware, compared to other developed nations, our healthcare system is still underdeveloped in telemedicine, outreach, and accessibility to quality healthcare services for many of our communities, especially those residing in rural and remote areas. To bridge this gap, there is an urgent need to leverage disruptive technology to improve access to healthcare services and the availability of quality medical practitioners within Nigeria and across the globe. Therefore, the NIGCOMHEALTH Platform is a timely solution that could ensure the availability of quality healthcare services to all Nigerians, irrespective of their locations,” he said.
In addition, the Minister noted that NIGCOMHEALTH, which is a telehealth service, will serve to lessen the strain of physically going to the hospital while simultaneously improving the citizens’ overall quality of healthcare. In addition to this, the launch of NIGCOMHEALTH is in line with the Nigerian government’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a digital Nigeria, as well as the ambition to encourage digital transformation and stimulate economic activity in the country. This was accomplished through the development of NIGCOMHEALTH.
The platform will ensure a more inclusive and more effective healthcare system in Nigeria. Additionally, it will boost the ability of healthcare providers to give high-quality treatments by utilising technology to reach patients in far-flung regions with less financial outlay and physical strain. This would be accomplished without the need for patients to travel a great distance.
According to Engineer Tukur Lawal, Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, NIGCOMHEALTH would provide Nigerians with the opportunity to get professional services of a world-class quality at a price that is affordable, regardless of where in the country they live. In addition, Engineer Tukur Lawal guaranteed that the healthcare services that were to be offered would be accessible to all Nigerians, including those who did not possess smartphones, as well as being reasonably priced.
In conclusion, Engineer Tukur encouraged Nigerians to sign up for the platform and take advantage of the services it offers, as well as encouraged medical professionals working in both the public and private sectors to become members of the platform and assist in the expansion of Nigeria’s health sector.