FG to strengthen telemedicine, digital health systems for universal coverage

The Federal Government says it is committed to strengthening telemedicine and digital health innovation as key strategies to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and ensure equitable access to quality healthcare across the country.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, made this known in Abuja during the Nigeria Telehealth Conference 2025, themed “Scaling Telehealth for Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria: Pathway to Sustainability.”

Salako described the conference as a milestone in Nigeria’s digital health journey, emphasizing that technology serves as a catalyst for transforming healthcare delivery and closing workforce gaps, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

“Telemedicine bridges workforce shortages and connects under-resourced communities to qualified doctors,” he said.

According to the minister, President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda prioritizes equitable, accessible, and affordable healthcare for all citizens, leaving no Nigerian behind in the country’s health transformation efforts.

He explained that the Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Nigeria Digital in Health Initiative are central to the government’s vision of building a modernized and data-driven health system. The initiatives aim to promote secure health data architecture, foster innovation, and improve decision-making across the national healthcare ecosystem.

Salako also revealed that the ministry was finalizing guidelines and governance frameworks to enhance quality assurance, data security, and accountability in telemedicine and digital health services.

The forthcoming National Telehealth Sustainability Framework, expected to be presented at the National Council on Health later in November, will serve as a blueprint for integrating telemedicine into Nigeria’s healthcare system.

In her remarks, Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment, FCT, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, highlighted the progress of telemedicine projects in primary health centres within the Federal Capital Territory.

Dr. Fasawe noted that the first telemedicine booth was inaugurated at Dutse Makaranta Primary Health Centre in partnership with MobiHealth International.

She disclosed that remote consultations had improved maternal care, increased skilled birth attendance rates from 25% to 102%, and linked patients to specialists across the country.

Dr. Fumi Adewara, emphasized the need for telemedicine to become a permanent pillar of Nigeria’s healthcare system, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility.

“Quality healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Through telemedicine, we bring doctors closer to underserved Nigerians and bridge the urban–rural health divide,” Adewara said.

Also speaking, Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr. Jide Idris, commended the conference for underscoring the role of digital innovation in improving national health security. He noted that telemedicine enhances real-time medical response and surveillance, especially amid multiple disease outbreaks.