The Nigerian Health System and mHealth Philosophy: Weighing the Balance

Abstract

The appalling state of the Nigerian healthcare system has drawn a lot of attention from scholars, medical experts, and free thinkers. To these people, it is baffling why despite Nigeria’s political and economic relevance in Africa; the country suffers a great deal of health insecurity. It is against this backdrop that this paper sought to examine and ascertain the balance between the Nigerian healthcare system and the mobile health philosophy (the process whereby mobile health devices and applications are used to carry out healthcare services delivery). Relying on the descriptive survey research design and method of analysis, the study examined healthcare procedures that provide prompt mobile health services to Nigerians. It finds that although the concept of mHealth is new to Nigerians, nonetheless, both medical experts and end users have taken advantage of it to maintain good health by seeking and providing solutions to health concerns and challenges. Other outstanding challenges that hamper the mHealth philosophy in Nigeria are epileptic power supply, poor internet coverage, lack of finance to acquire mobile health devices, security of peoples’ private information and many others. The paper condemned the lack of sustainable government (Federal, State and Local) support for primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare systems in the country. It is the conclusion of the paper that despite these challenges, the benefits of mHealth remain overwhelming especially as it makes healthcare service delivery proactive and easily accessible by everyone anywhere and anytime. Therefore, it should be integrated into the policy and health care delivery system in Nigeria.