FG Inaugurates Health Technology Office To Drive Digital Transformation

The Federal Government has inaugurated the Steering Committee of the National Health Technology and Data Analytics Office (NHTDAO) as part of efforts to accelerate digital transformation in Nigeria’s health sector.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, said the office, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would coordinate and standardise health technology and data systems across the country.

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the committee in Abuja on Thursday, Salako said the NHTDAO would complement, rather than replace, existing departments, agencies and programmes in the health sector.

He said the office would promote collaboration among stakeholders and coordinate implementation of Nigeria’s approved digital health architecture.

“The architecture, already approved by the National Council on Health, would serve as a foundation for moving digital health from policy and documentation to practical implementation and measurable impact across the health system.”

Salako described digital health as an important enabler of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, adding that greater adoption of digital technologies was essential to the ongoing health sector reforms.

He also highlighted the fragmentation of electronic medical record systems in health facilities, noting that some existing platforms were neither interconnected nor adequately standardised.

The minister called for the establishment and enforcement of minimum standards to ensure that digital health solutions adopted by healthcare facilities meet nationally agreed requirements.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachollom, said data analytics must go beyond producing routine reports to helping government anticipate health challenges, identify inequalities, allocate resources efficiently and improve health outcomes.

She stressed the need for digital transformation that would not deepen existing inequalities between urban and rural communities and other underserved populations.

Kachollom also identified interoperability, cybersecurity, data protection, ethical use of artificial intelligence, data governance and patient confidentiality as key priorities for the new office.

She said increased digitalisation must be accompanied by safeguards to strengthen public confidence in the security and responsible use of health information.

Representing the co-chairmen at the inauguration, Mr Olaniyi Yusuf said the office was expected to develop guidelines that would promote interoperability, adoption and scaling of digital health solutions, while encouraging private-sector investment in the sector.

He said the private sector had demonstrated its willingness to partner with government and pledged his organisation’s support in mobilising private-sector participation in the initiative.

The NHTDAO Steering Committee is co-chaired by Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate; Minister of State for Health, Dr Iziaq Salako; and Olaniyi Yusuf.

Other members include the Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom; Director of Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr John Ovuoreye; Ekiti State Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani; Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority, Dr Kelechi Ohiri; National Coordinator of the SWAp Office, Dr Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq; and other health officials and commissioners.