Sodiq Ojuroungbe The Lagos State Government has revealed that the unveiling of a Smart Health Information Platform also known as SHIP will revolutionise healthcare delivery in the state by bridging gaps in the healthcare system. The state commissioner for health, Professor Akin Abayomi said the digital platform was poised to transform healthcare delivery and public health policies in the state, with its cutting-edge technology and data-driven approach. Speaking at a pre-launch ceremony held in Lagos on Thursday, the health commissioner while describing SHIP as a game-changer for the state’s healthcare sector, said the government would leverage its potential to improve the health and wellbeing of Lagosians.
Abayomi noted that SHIP’s real-time data collection, analysis, and dissemination capabilities will enable swift responses to emerging health trends and outbreaks, inform resource allocation decisions, and track patient outcomes and disease patterns. The don further stressed the SHIP’s potential to empower patients and communities by providing secure access to medical records and health information, enabling informed decisions about care and active engagement in health management. The commissioner noted that SHIP will have a significant impact on public health policy, providing actionable insights and data-driven intelligence to develop targeted interventions and policies addressing specific health needs.
He added, “Phase one of the SHIP project will create an interconnectivity between all our general hospitals and our primary healthcare facilities, alongside the Ministry of Health and any other public health facility and medical agency in a manner in which all of them will be interconnected. “The idea around this is to create a platform of information exchange whereas data is gathered at the patient interface; as a patient enters into the health ecosystem, at that very point of entry we already start to collect data. As the patient moves through the process of their health-managed care, we are gathering data at every point.
“That information will now be gathered into one location inside the SHIP. SO, up until now, we’ve been collecting the information in solo and keeping them at the individual facilities. “Henceforth, as we roll out the SHIP, and as we create the interconnectivity between these facilities, that data will now sink into the SHIP and will be collected centrally, where it can now be subject to trending analysis, to modern data informatics, to machine learning, and to artificial intelligence, such that that data now becomes a very valuable asset to the government, not just for resource allocation and for policy formulation, but to the practitioners who require this patient data to be readily accessible to them at the point of care of the patient and even when the patient moves from one aspect of the facility to another.
“The SHIP is not a static thing. It will evolve as technology evolves. It will grow as facilities come on board.
Eventually, we are going to roll it out into the private sector so that the government has a complete picture of the health-seeking behavior of all its citizens and residents in Lagos or those visiting to access medical care. “In addition, we are going to be able to create a connectivity to the rest of the world as we plan to create virtual hubs of information, virtual hubs of training, virtual hubs of research and collaboration, so that Lagos now becomes an international centere with international connectivity through the SHIP, using the internet of things and using high-speed connectivity to ensure that Lagos is recognised as a branded mega city a smart mega city with a digitalised platform for health infrastructure and healthcare delivery.” The Managing Director of eCLAT InterSwitch, Dr.
Wallace Ogufure, highlighted the platform’s ability to transform healthcare delivery and public health policy through innovative technology and collaboration. He explained that SHIP’s user-friendly interface and secure data management system make it an ideal solution for healthcare providers and patients. Ogufure expressed confidence in its potential to become a model for healthcare innovation in Nigeria and beyond.
“We are proud to partner with Lagos State on this groundbreaking initiative, bringing our expertise in digital solutions to improve healthcare outcomes and patient experiences. “SHIP is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in healthcare. By combining our technological expertise with the state’s healthcare vision, we have created a platform that will transform healthcare delivery and public health policy in Lagos State.
“The platform’s user-friendly interface and secure data management system make it an ideal solution for healthcare providers and patients alike,” he stated. Also, the Managing Director of Digital Health Platforms for InterSwitch, Olufemi Olapegba, said SHIP has the potential to drive meaningful change in Nigeria’s healthcare sector. He described the digital platform as a catalyst for healthcare transformation, which harnesses the power of data and technology to create a more responsive, patient-centered healthcare system delivering better outcomes.
He stressed the need for partnership between government, industry, and healthcare providers in driving meaningful change in Nigeria’s healthcare sector, and looked forward to continuing collaboration and exploring new opportunities for healthcare innovation. Copyright PUNCH All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected] Tags #Lagos State Ministry of Health Lagos State Government Lagos unveils New digital platform in health sector Professor Akin Abayomi.
