The National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP) has emphasized the need to legally incorporate telemedicine into the nation’s healthcare delivery system.
The President of NAGGMDP, Dr. Peterside Starson Sofiri, made this call during the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, titled “Confluence NEC, Lokoja 2024.”
The event, themed “The Role of Telemedicine in Enhancing the Health of Rural Dwellers and People with Disabilities (PWDs),” attracted participants from across the states of the federation.
Dr. Sofiri defined telemedicine as the use of electronic communication and information technologies to provide healthcare services remotely. According to him, it allows patients to consult with healthcare professionals and receive medical care without being physically present in the same location.
Sofiri advocated for the inclusion of telemedicine in the medical curriculum and favorable legislation to improve the accessibility of vulnerable citizens to healthcare services in Nigeria. He also called for telemedicine to be included in the medical curriculum to address the brain drain in Nigeria’s health sector.
“We are having this conversation to promote telemedicine as the best way to improve PWDs’ access to healthcare services through modern technology,” Sofiri said. “We want to enhance their accessibility to healthcare through telemedicine, considering their unique situations. There is a need to propose and formulate policies that will improve key stakeholders’ commitment to enhancing PWDs’ access to healthcare.”
“Telemedicine should be accessible to everyone, especially PWDs; when you have an ailment, you should be able to pick up your phone and be diagnosed regardless of your location,” he added.
He further stated, “We are also discussing other matters concerning their welfare, how they are treated in society, and their inclusion in the system. In NAGGMDP, we have taken the issues affecting PWDs as our social responsibility by establishing a foundation dedicated to addressing their narratives, rights, and welfare. Our association has doctors all over the country in government health facilities at the federal, state, local government, and community levels to drive this initiative.”
Earlier, the Kogi Chairman of NAGGMDP, Dr. Nkemakolam Stanley Ugoh, highlighted the need to legally incorporate telemedicine into the nation’s healthcare delivery system. Dr. Ugoh suggested that the legal incorporation of telemedicine would address the negative effects of brain drain, as healthcare workers continue to exit the country in large numbers.
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“As we explore the potential of telemedicine, let us recognize the various challenges confronting rural dwellers and PWDs, such as poverty, stigmatization, and poor telecom and road networks, among others. We must strive for innovative solutions, collaborations, and actionable recommendations that will lead to improved healthcare, especially for those in hard-to-reach communities,” Ugoh said.
The NAGGMDP Chairman expressed confidence that the gathering of professionals and experts at the event would make a meaningful impact. He also appreciated Kogi State Governor, Alh. Ahmed Ododo, for his full support toward the success of the program and congratulated him on his well-deserved victory at the Supreme Court.
In his lecture on “Cholera Outbreak in Nigeria as a Call for Action,” the State Epidemiologist, Dr. Austin Ojotule, explained the historical perspective, the current Nigerian situation, and the drivers of the cholera outbreak. Dr. Ojotule noted that cholera infection is usually characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration and became a disease of global importance in 1817, with the current outbreak being the seventh.
He stressed the need for individuals, communities, health workers, development partners, and the government to play their roles in tackling the cholera outbreak in the country.
Also speaking, Mr. Ibrahim Arome, the immediate past Board Chairman of the Kogi State Disability Commission, commended NAGGMDP for its initiative to alleviate the plight of PWDs. Arome called for concerted efforts to create more awareness, make public buildings more accessible, and provide sign language interpreters in public places for the hearing impaired.
The stakeholders at the event included the Red Cross, NGOs, PWDs, WHO, the Ministry of Health, the media, and faith-based organizations.
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