Health expert says digital healthcare can improve Nigeria’s life expectancy
Health expert says digital healthcare can improve Nigeria’s life expectancy
Dr Richard Okoye, Chief Managing Director, Savealife Mission Hospital, Rivers, has called on stakeholders to collaborate in deploying innovative digital solutions to extend quality healthcare to underserved Nigerians.
Okoye made the call during a news briefing with journalists in Port Harcourt on Friday.
He advocated for the use of digital technology and telemedicine to improve healthcare access and reverse Nigeria’s declining life expectancy.
Okoye said digital healthcare could bridge the gap between patients, particularly those in rural communities, and medical professionals.
He expressed concern over the shortage of medical personnel, especially in rural areas, saying the challenge was contributing significantly to poor healthcare outcomes.
According to him, while the global recommended doctor to patient ratio was one doctor to about 600 people, Nigeria currently has about one doctor to 6,000 people.
“Most rural communities do not have a single medical doctor. Anybody that is a doctor you see in rural communities, God has called that person; it is not necessarily because of the humanitarian job,” he said.
Okoye said the situation was particularly critical in maternal and child healthcare, where many rural residents lacked timely access to qualified medical professionals.
He also expressed concern over misconceptions about illnesses, including the tendency to attribute health challenges solely to spiritual attacks.
“Statistics have shown that the message is not working. Nigeria is rated among countries with the lowest life expectancy, despite the fact that about 95 per cent of Nigerians pray,” he said.
The medical practitioner said technology could provide practical solutions by enabling doctors to remotely monitor patients and support health workers in underserved communities.
He said Savealife Hospital had developed digital systems to monitor patients in real time, support diagnosis and reduce medical errors.
Okoye explained that the hospital’s digital platform enabled doctors to monitor vital signs and receive alerts when abnormal readings occurred, allowing prompt intervention.
He said the hospital also operated a situation room where doctors monitored patients, including women in labour and other high-risk cases.
According to him, the technology supports doctors by providing relevant clinical information, differential diagnoses, recommended investigations and medication options.
Okoye said the system could also flag potentially harmful drug combinations, thereby reducing prescription errors and preventable deaths.
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He said that Savealife had developed the “My Home Clinic” application, enabling patients to book appointments, provide preliminary information about their symptoms and access medical support remotely.
Okoye said the hospital was working with government and other stakeholders to deploy digital healthcare systems in communities without electricity or internet connectivity.
He cited an initiative in Abia government-owned hospital where solar-powered systems and satellite connectivity were deployed to provide power and internet access to health centres in underserved communities.
The Savealife boss said the approach was particularly important in maternal healthcare, where early identification of complications could significantly improve survival.
“If we could pick it early, a lot can still be done to save the life of that particular woman. And that’s what we have been able to do,” he said.
Okoye also disclosed plans to introduce a digitally enabled ambulance system into Nigeria from October, allowing doctors to remotely monitor patients while they were being transported to healthcare facilities.
He said the system would transmit patients’ vital signs to doctors, enabling emergency treatment to begin before arrival at a hospital.
He said the hospital was also deploying remote monitoring devices for conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, particularly among rural residents.
Okoye said Savealife was integrating patients from different communities into its digital healthcare system through QR codes linked to their medical records.
He explained that the system would enable patients’ medical information from primary healthcare centres to be accessed at secondary or tertiary facilities, reducing delays and duplication of investigations.
Okoye said the digitalisation programme was aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system and reducing the need for Nigerians to travel abroad for medical treatment.
“Promoting the health of our people against the background of being the lowest life expectancy in the world is the greatest thing we can add economically,” he said.
He expressed optimism that sustained investment in technology, healthcare infrastructure and human capacity would improve Nigeria’s life expectancy and ensure access to quality healthcare regardless of location or income.
