Resident doctors to support a million on telehealth

By Adeola Ogunlade

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has set telehealth solution Initiatives to cater for one million vulnerable Nigerians.

NARD President, Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi and chairman, NARD Telehealth Committee, Dr Kenneth Uwajeh, disclosed this in a statement in Lagos.

NARD said the initiative is targeted at increasing COVID-19 awareness from screening for symptoms, prevention and management to mainly targeting the grassroots via digital means (Telemedicine).

The doctors said: “The goal of the Telehealth solutions is to reduce the morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19 among the poor, vulnerable and underserved members of the population at the primary care level.

“We recognise the challenges of providing services at this level which includes the disproportionate lack of qualified health practitioners and the unsupervised service providers, despite task shifting strategies”.

They added telehealth solutions have been successfully implemented globally and within the continent, staying “we believe a similar approach would be successful within the primary care system in Nigeria.

“We have an army of at least 15,000 doctors in our association. Many of whom are willing to provide these services for free in the battle to defeat COVID-19 and protect the vulnerable masses.

“This is our chance to write history as COVID-19 is the greatest challenge ever faced in modern times. In the process we not only save our nation but save the continent and the world.”