Abia state Governor,Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has restated his administration’s determination to ensure the success of the Tele -Health Initiative and “Dial-a-doc-direct programme aimed at giving Abians quality healthcare delivery.
The Tele-Health programme initiated by the present administration in 2018, is aimed at addressing challenges of inadequate access to health care,connecting healthcare consumers/patients and providers/doctors otherwise disconnected by socioeconomic barriers leveraging on telecommunication technology for efficient delivery of healthcare services.
Governor Ikpeazu who was speaking at the Maiden Abia State Tele-Health Initiative Stakeholders meeting held at the Okpara Auditorium Umuahia,noted that since the establishment of the initiative, his administration has relentlessly pursued it’s vision to leverage on the healthcare system and support Abians access the services of qualified medical doctors through telecommunication.
He noted that the world is advancing as a result of technology,adding that Abia has keyed into it to advance technologically in the health care delivery system.
While pointing out that the programme will eliminate quackery as well as bridge the gap in the health care system,the governor added that the programme is designed to capture the interest and well-being of members of the society, including students in various tertiary institutions across the state.
Governor Ikpeazu however called for advocacy to the various sectors, including individuals,groups and the 17 local government areas to ensure that all Abians benefit from the Tele-Health Initiative.
The Commissioner for Health ,Dr Joe Osuji in his address,thanked Governor Ikpeazu for leveraging the Tele-Health Initiative as a tool for distribution of adequate healthcare services to the people,stating that the stakeholders meeting would focus on how to drive the healthcare initiative in a more robust manner.
The Commissioner said that with the triple objectives of the initiative, including wider access, better outcome and broader coverage combined with the proposed Abia State Tele-health Support By-Law, Abia State is positioned to integrate telehealth into her contemporary local health system,adding that the programme will be effectively deployed to enhance the healthcare needs of the people; especially those in the rural areas, under-served communities and frontier parts of the State.
Earlier in a presentation, the lead consultant, Abia Tele-health Initiative, Dr. Omas Ubiame disclosed that the Tele-health or “Dial -A -Doctor-Direct” initiative has the mission of leveraging simple and available telecommunication technology to promote good health in Abia State through phone calls.
She explained the initiative works in such a way that people are provided with special call cards with personalized PIN numbers after which, one is expected to call a designated number which links him up automatically to a Doctor, who then attends to his health issues through phone calls.
Dr. Ubiame said that Abia is the first State in Nigeria and Africa to initiate such a scheme and called on all to leverage the opportunity of having a phone and getting the 500 naira dedicated card to access healthcare .
She further said that the initiative works with Primary Healthcare Centers in the State which is the first port of call for sick persons to achieve the needed healthcare and stressed the need for all stakeholders to embrace the initiative, adding that the “Dial -A -Doctor – Direct” Initiative can save life, time and money.
The program which drew participants including Traditional rulers,students and stakeholders from the healthcare sector also featured interactive session with stakeholders while Governor Ikpeazu used the opportunity to pay 500 naira card each for all students of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture and Nursing students of FMC and Amachara Umuahia who were present at the meeting.
Abia state Governor,Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has restated his administration’s determination to ensure the success of the Tele -Health Initiative and “Dial-a-doc-direct programme aimed at giving Abians quality healthcare delivery.He noted that the world is advancing as a result of technology,adding that Abia has keyed into it to advance technologically in the health care delivery system.
He noted that the world is advancing as a result of technology,adding that Abia has keyed into it to advance technologically in the health care delivery system.
