By Joy Odor
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is spearheading a nationwide movement to digitize Nigeria’s healthcare system, with digital transformation being the backbone of ongoing health sector reforms.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, emphasized the importance of digital health during a recent stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja which was made available to newsmen in a press statement by Alaba Balogun, the Deputy Director
Information & Public Relations of the ministry.
According to him, the Nigeria Digital Health Initiative (NDHI) aimed to create an integrated, efficient, and people-centered health system which its key components include:
1. Interoperable Digital Health Services Network
2. Health Claims Exchange (HCX) for tracking health financing and reducing fraud
3. Health Information Exchange (HIE) for seamless data sharing
Dr. Salako informed that the components will form a unified national health data space, enabling real-time monitoring, clinical decision-making, and innovation.
The Minister called for stakeholders’ collaboration, state-level buy-in, and clear roles for digital focal persons.
The NDHI is expected to:
1. Eliminate paper-based systems
2. Enable real-time monitoring of health indicators
3. Empower local innovators to develop digital solutions
Dr. Salako emphasized that the initiative is a national imperative, requiring collective effort to achieve equitable, efficient, and accountable healthcare.
