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
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.
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