Ekiti, Helium Sign N300m e-Medicine Agreement

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

As part of the modern initiative to boost access to medical records and improve healthcare services, a health promotion company, Helium Health has disclosed a plan to invest N300 million to digitalise patients’ data in hospitals operating in the state.

Consequently, Helium and Sterling bank Plc, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ekiti State government for the actualisation of the automation plan that would boost effective service delivery and enhance doctors-patients’ relations.

After the official signing of the MoU in Ado Ekiti at the weekend, Head Regional Growth (Public Sector), Helium Health, Mr. Abiola Osunniiyi, said the organisation would commit a sum of N300 million to provide digital technology for some facilities in the state.

Osunniyi added that the focus would be principally on secondary health facilities as pilots, said four general hospitals will be used to kickstart the project that will be co-financed by the three partners.

Osunniyi said: “The MoU is to provide critical health infrastructure for digitisation of the four hospitals in Ekiti that will be used as pilots before expanding. The essence is to digitise the patients’ data, so that our doctors can access them easily for improved and quick healthcare delivery.

“One of the core mandates of Dr. Kayode Fayemi’s government is delivery of quality healthcare to the citizens, so as a private organisation, we want to support the government through provision of technology in our hospitals.

“We have done this partnership with Akwa Ibom and Lagos States’ governments, which revolves primarily around technology to bridge the gap that exists in patients’ data, there is usually a gap. The old days when patient’s data were contained on papers were over.

“In most cases, patients’ records got lost, but with provision of this digital infrastructure, their data can be protected. When data gets lost, the doctors may ask the patients to repeat treatments or operations or tests that might be deleterious to the patients, because of delay.

“Our plan is to introduce an electronic Medical system, so at the mention of your name as a patient, your records will be displayed. Accurate healthcare data and storage can positively affect healthcare administration.

“We are leveraging the private sector to raise funds for the state. We are in partnership with the banking and telecommunication sectors to help the public sector. We are investing a sum of N300m to drive the project.”

Group Head of Health, Sterling Bank Plc, Mrs Ibironke Akinmade, disclosed that the kernel of the partnership is to ensure easy access to medical records and reduce leakages in the system.

“The Sterling bank six months ago set up some funds to help in digitising some of our health facilities as part of our focus to improve health, education, energy and agriculture sectors, which are our focal areas in the development of our country”, she said.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, explained that the project will Remove redundancy in hospitals and inject modernity into the healthcare system in the state.

Filani described technology as a critical weapon that can strengthen the health sector through accurate collection, processing and storage of healthcare records that will improve quality of healthcare services by providers.

“Digitisation process in health systems all over the world helps to reduce wastages and redundancy as well as inject transparency and accountability into our medical facilities.

“I know with this technological innovation, there will be a tremendous improvement in the keeping of healthcare records and quick delivery of healthcare services in our facilities”, Filani said.