Academics and technology experts have urged the Nigerian government to prioritise the development of locally adapted and affordable digital health solutions over expensive imported technologies to enhance healthcare delivery in the country.
According to the experts, digital health tools must be accessible, sustainable, and responsive to the needs of the Nigerian populace to effectively bridge existing gaps in healthcare.
The call was made during the first Faculty of Medical Rehabilitation Conference held at the Oladipo Akinkugbe Hall, Laje Campus of the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), with the theme ‘Rehabilitation in the Digital Age: Innovation, Integration and Inclusion’.
While arguing that sustainable healthcare advancement lies in tailoring innovations to Nigeria’s specific challenges and economic realities, a robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) expert, Dr Olusola Ayoola, disclosed that affordable digital solutions can bridge healthcare gaps in the country.
Ayoola emphasised that the field of biomedical engineering has progressed to a point where effective, appropriate solutions are within Nigeria’s reach, asserting that “not every digital system must be expensive.”
On his part, a professor of speech pathology from the University of Ibadan, Julius Ademokoya, explained how innovative technologies are actively transforming rehabilitation practices.
Ademokoya outlined a future where digital integration makes rehabilitation more inclusive, citing tele-rehabilitation’s potential to extend critical services to remote and underserved communities on an unprecedented scale.
“Rehabilitation practice is unavoidably becoming more integrated, inclusive and accessible. With the use of mobile health solutions and tele-rehabilitation, there is a significant opportunity to reach the underserved population. Tele-rehabilitation alone is projected to benefit 1.2 billion people by 2030, vastly improving accessibility,” he stated.
The professor of speech pathology listed examples of digital technologies already being applied in rehabilitation to include “Virtual Reality (VR) for cognitive recovery, robotics for mobility, and tele-rehabilitation as mobile health solutions for remote care.”
The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the Conference, Prof. Wahab Owolawi, said the theme of the conference was carefully chosen to reflect current realities, urging healthcare practitioners to evolve alongside advancements in science and technology to remain effective and relevant.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ebunoluwa Adejuyigbe, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. P. O. Osho, who commended the Faculty of Medical Rehabilitation on the success of the maiden conference, enjoined the practitioners to maintain their innovative spirit in adapting to the digital transformation sweeping through the healthcare sector.
