THE IMPACT AND CHALLENGES OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ON HEALTH CARE DELIVERY IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The accessibility and utilization of e-healthcare services in Nigeria is very low thus, the need to improveon the application Information Communication Technology (ICT) in healthcare delivery in Nigerian hospitals is very essential. E-health is the application of information communication technology in health care management. ICT application in health sector will promote healthcare services support, improve monitoring of patients’ conditions, improve adequate storage of patients’ records, time saving, increase resources and aid referral system, ensure reduction in medical error and so on. However, most of the Nigerian hospitals still operate on paper-based healthcare delivery system despite the challenges of meeting increasingly demands of citizens who are in need of medical attention due to the large population. Many factors contribute to the poor state of ICT in medical sector of Nigeria, such as epileptic power supply, Illiteracy, high cost of ICTs equipment, lack of clear-cut law and policy, lack of expertise, corruption and so on. This paper adopts a doctrinal method of research which involves the use of primary and secondary sources of materials such as statutes, online publications, text books, articles, online dissertation and so on. However, this work concludes that the dream of ICT drive in health sector will be realizable in Nigeria if the present and subsequentgovernment can reduce corruption, improve national infrastructures, especially in the areas of e- health technology and electricity.