OHealth At Two: UCH CMD Highlights How Telemedicine Has Improved Healthcare Services In Nigeria

From Ogundele Olanrewaju

The Chief Medical Director of University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Professor Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo has explained how the invention of the telemedicine has helped healthcare delivery in the country sharing his experience with Ohealth App that clocks in two years.

Prof Otegbayo, while hosting the crew of Ohealth in his office explained that Telemedicine is good to utilize for the Nigerian populace in saving healthcare and it is something unique and should be encouraged, adding that the COVID 19 pandemic has taught us a lot of things even when we did not want to factor it into our practice.

“There are some instances where the face to face consultation may not be possible; a lot could be done via telemedicine through the Ohealth App that you are using which I know and have some experience in using.

“Also, it can be used for distant consultation where someone may be in Lagos or even in rural areas where there is internet and consultation and if there is need for one on one contact or the person requires surgery that is when the person needs to come”, said the CMD.

Otegbayo added that there are a lot of advantages to telemedicine, “where a patient would not have to move some distance to and see a doctor and also the congestion we see in the hospitals especially when you go to the Medical outpatient or General outpatient with the number of traffic very heavy the patients will enjoy using telemedicine”.

“It also creates room for scheduling appointments for the patient at their convenience instead of staying for hours unattended to. Also, on your App there is room to recommend laboratories to the patients and the result can be sent to the doctor and the patient can be taken care of.

“It has been a wonderful experience and I believe that it is the way to go and it will continue to get better. I have known about telemedicine for a while and I saw how it works very well outside the country, not just for consultation but for training health personnel”.

The medical expert however added that “as we continue to develop in our information technology we can work through that level where we can train, treat and research, these are the major functions of telemedicine. With 60% of Nigerians with mobile phones and internet capabilities your App will help a lot and the cost is very affordable”.

He however wished the inventor of the online health company, Dr Temitope Farombi, a neurologist and a consultant with UCH well on the second anniversary of the Ohealth and many more years with advancement.

Photo captions” Chief Medical Director of University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Professor Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo flanged by the personnel of Ohealth