How Tech Innovation Can Combat Anthrax, Diphtheria Outbreaks, Health Experts Reveal
- Stakeholders in the Nigerian health sector have been prompted that technological innovation is the future of healthcare
- Health experts and stakeholders converged at a forum facilitated by eHealth Africa to deliberate on how to adopt tech innovation for a better healthcare system
- The co-founder of eHealth Africa, Adam Thompson, said there is no better time than now for Nigeria to adopt digital healthcare, especially with the advent of anthrax and diphtheria outbreak
FCT, Abuja - Health experts have greatly encouraged adopting innovation and technology into the Nigerian healthcare system as a significant solution to the numerous lapses in combatting health issues and outbreaks in the country.
On Wednesday, July 26, eHealth Africa staged a convergence between health experts and stakeholders in Abuja to deliberate and discourse the benefits of adopting technology into the public health practice.
Source: Original
These deliberations centred on issues ranging from the uses and gratification of technological apps and software for healthcare in suburban areas and how effective it can be towards effective healthcare delivery.
Speaking to Legit.ng on how technological innovation can help circumvent the shortcomings of the Nigerian healthcare system, Adam Thompson, the CEO of EHA Clinics, said there is no better time to embrace tech innovation in the healthcare system than now.
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Why tech innovation is pivotal to adequate healthcare
He said the shortage of health workers in the system makes technology a better alternative to help strengthen the system.
Thompson said:
"The only we can bridge the gap is to bring in innovative technology that would connect people to healthcare, given the lack of human resources in the healthcare sector at the moment."
When asked about the anthrax and diphtheria outbreak in Nigeria and how technology can detect and prevent these diseases, Thompson said:
"I think the best detection system is to have a functioning primary care system. Because when people are sick; if they can go to the doctor and get accurate diagnostics that are not malaria and typhoid every time and once we strengthen the system, that's where you'll find a solution."
Health expert calls for proper data management to aid digital health tools
Meanwhile, Jamil Galadanci, eHealth Africa's senior software engineering manager, said the best solution to detecting outbreaks like anthrax and diphtheria is accessing data.
Galadanci said a proper data management system complements powerful analytical tools and software that predicts pandemics.
While speaking to Legit.ng at the event, he said:
"There are powerful analytics tools. But all these tools would not be useful if you don't have the data. So, I think all these pandemics happening is a lesson that the government must learn knowing that we need to have data available for us to be able to predict.
"It's one thing to respond to issues and it's another to be able to predict them even before they happened and then to take measures."
Digital Healthcare: "Nigeria has always been ready", says Atef Fawaz
On whether Nigeria is ready to adopt digital innovation in its healthcare system, Atef Fawaz, eHealth Africa's executive director, said, "Nigeria has always been ready."
Fawaz told Legit.ng that Nigeria's uses and gratification of digital technology in healthcare have been commendable.
He noted that commitment from all the necessary stakeholders would put Nigeria on the map as one of the world's major players in digital healthcare.
Adding to Fawaz's submissions, Thompson stated that all the stakeholders must realise that we're in 2023, and there must be an obligation to live up to the expectations of 2023.
He said:
"I think the main thing is we've got to think like it's 2023. We're still building clinics and health systems like it's 1800. It's the same model, one doctor, two nurses. There's not a lot of technology involved.
"People can get healthcare on their phone, at their home and I think we have to think about the healthcare of the future and stop creating models that are outdated."
Anthrax: Details Emerge as FG Tells Nigerians to Stop Eating Ponmo
Meanwhile, the federal Ministry of Agriculture and rural development has raised a fresh alarm concerning ponmo consumption.
FG alerted Nigerians on the outbreak of Anthrax disease in some neighbouring countries within the West African sub-region.
With the development, the ministry strongly advised Nigerians to desist from the consumption of ponmo.
Source: Legit.ng
