Telemedicine in Nigeria: A medium to the underserved communities.

Allagoa DO1*, Kemelagha FA2, Ighedose LO3, Tella AO4
1Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
2Head, Telemedicine Team, Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
3Head, Planning & Statistics, Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
4Head, Informa on and Communication Technology, Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
*Correspondence: Dr. Dennis Allagoa; +234 803 310 3626; dennisallagoa@yahoo.com

Download full article in pdf format

JAT XML

Abstract

Background: Telemedicine which means the use of Information Technology to provide healthcare from a distance, is among the new innovations in the science and art of Information and Communication Technology. Its concept requires simplification for greater understanding in the 21st Century.
Objective: To state the relevance of telemedicine in achieving greater healthcare coverage and efficiency to the underserved communities and highlight its progress at the Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa.
Materials and Methods: Relevant literature on Telemedicine, Information and Telecommunication Technology (ICT) were reviewed and these were gathered from various sources. Search engines like google.com, bing.com and msn.com were used to search for online materials.
Results/Conclusion: It was found that telemedicine is at its embryonic stage in Nigeria and attempts made at higher administrative levels to institute telemedicine practice have yielded too little results. However, the Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa has recorded successes through collaboration with International and local partners to the effect that the future of telemedicine use in Nigeria seems bright.

Keywords: Telecommunication, Information technologies, Computers, Telemedicine, E-health.

Cite this article: Allagoa DO, Kemelagha FA, Ighedose LO, Tella AO. Telemedicine in Nigeria: A medium to the underserved communities. Yen Med J. 2020;2(1):135-144.

REFERENCES

  1. Gulliford M, Figueroa-Munoz J, Morgan M, Hughes D, Gibson B, Beech R, et al. What does access to health care mean? J Health Serv Res Policy. 2002;7(3):186-188. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12171 751. Accessed December 15, 2019.
  2. Parajuli R, Doneys P. Exploring the role of telemedicine in improving access to healthcare services by women and girls in rural Nepal. ScienceDirect. 2017;24(7). Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0736585317300977. Accessed December 15, 2019.
  3. Your Dictionary. Gobal village definition. Available from: http://www.yourdictionary.com/global-village. Accessed December 15, 2019.
  4. Walton A. Advantages & Disadvantages of Information and Communication Technology. Available from: https://smallbusiness. chron. com/ advantages- disadvantages- information-communication-technology-66948.html. Accessed December 15, 2019.
  5. Woodford CA. Brief history of computers. Available from: http://www.explainthatstuff.com/historyofcomputers.html. Accessed December 15, 2019.
  6. Wilkins A. What does the widespread use of ICT mean for health? The Impact Initiative for International Development Research. Available from: http://www.theimpactinitiative.net/blog/blog-what-does-widespread-use-icts-mean-health. Accessed December 15, 2019.
  7. The Rotarian. April 2017 Issue. Available from: https://magazine.rotary.org/rotary/april_2017/MobilePagedReplica.action?. Accessed December 15, 2019.
  8. Aarimaa M. Telemedicine – contribution of ICT to health. J Health Serv Res Policy. 2004;100:111-116. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15718569. Accessed December 15, 2019.
  9. Vanguard Newspaper Online Publication. Nigeria overtakes India as world’s poverty capital. Available from: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/06/nigeria-overtakes-india-as-worlds-poverty-capital-report/. Published June 25, 2018. Accessed December 15, 2019.
  10. Aliyu UM, Awosan KJ, Oche MO, Taiwo AO, Jimoh AO, Okuofo EC. Prevalence and correlates of complementary and alternative medicine use among cancer patients in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria. Niger J Clin Pract. 2017;20:1576-1583. Available from: http://www.njcponline.com/text.asp?2017/20/12/1576/224135. Accessed December 15, 2019.
  11. Brian Wu. What are the benefits and advantages of telemedicine? Healthline Newsletter. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/telemedicine-benefits-and-advantages. Accessed December 15, 2019.
  12. Ukaoha KC, Egbokare FA. Prospects and challenges of Telemedicine in Nigeria. J Med Biomed sci. 2012;3(1):65-70. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272877000_Prospects_and_challenges_of_telemedicine_in_Nigeria. Accessed December 15, 2019.
  13. Rural Health Information Hub. Telehealth use in rural health care. Available from: https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/topics/telehealth. Accessed December 15, 2019.
  14. Egiebor OO. eHealth and telemedicine in Nigeria. Jidaw Systems. Available from: http://www.jidaw.com/itsolutions/ehealth_telemedicine_nigeria.html. Published December, 2006. Accessed December 15, 2019.
  15. Umeoguaju F. Nigeria’s telemedicine project. Available from: http://nigerianbioscientist.com/interact/index.php?topic=551.0;wap2. Accessed December 15, 2019.
  16. Adewole IF. Nigeria Honourable Minister of Health on Telemedicine partnership and donation of a robot to Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa. Letter Ref. HMH/ABJ/450/VI/80. April 11, 2016.
  17. Kemelagha, PF. Telemedicine, the roots. Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa, Nigeria. Available from: www.fmcyenagoa.org.ng. Accessed December 15, 2019.
  18. Comprehensive Report – 2015 Till Date. FMC, Yenagoa in telemedicine cooperation. A publication of Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa, Nigeria.
  19. Rogan J. A. Medical and Rotarian collaboration: Telemedicine for Nigerian Hospital. Sonoma Country Gazette Building Community. 2015:1-21.
  20. Rendeiro MMP, Vieira C, Medina DLT, Monteiro, A. Infoculture: A barrier for the access to permanent education? In: Global Telemedicine and e-Health Updates Knowledge Resources. International Society for Telemedicine & eHealth; 2012:32

Back to Home Page

× Chat