Ekiti rolls out digital health platform to boost maternal care

The Ekiti State Government has launched a new digital health initiative designed to improve maternal and child health outcomes by allowing patients to access medical consultations remotely.

Mrs Olusola Gbenga-Igotun, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Human Services, announced on Saturday that pregnant women and nursing mothers would no longer be required to physically visit health facilities for every medical need.

“With the digital health solutions, it will not be compulsory for patients, particularly pregnant women and nursing mothers, to get to the facilities before they can have access to care,” she explained. “They can also access care through our digital health system via phone calls and WhatsApp messages.”

Gbenga-Igotun spoke in Ado Ekiti during a high-level stakeholder meeting convened to review the progress of the Maternal Health Advocacy and Communications project. The event was organised by the ministry in collaboration with the ACIOE Foundation and Nigeria Health Watch.

The Permanent Secretary noted that the digital platform is designed to bridge the gap for residents who are often unable to visit clinics due to distance or financial limitations.

She expressed concern that despite government efforts to fund healthcare through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, some residents still avoid seeking medical help. “We hope this will fill the gap by ensuring that they can easily call our health workers, explain their symptoms and receive guidance. Where necessary, they will be referred to facilities close to them,” she said.

Gbenga-Igotun added that the initiative is already yielding positive results, with community engagement efforts helping to sensitise women on the benefits of using the digital tools.

She urged residents to take advantage of government facilities, assuring them of access to qualified personnel and essential drugs. “The government is investing heavily in the health sector,” she said. “We are renovating facilities at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels, and our facilities are staffed with competent personnel.”

Also speaking at the event, Olukunle Daramola, Director of ACIOE Foundation, noted that similar digital health solutions implemented in Lagos and Kaduna have shown strong potential to improve maternal health outcomes when supported by strong governance.

Daramola highlighted ongoing challenges including workforce shortages, fragmented health data systems, and access barriers for rural women. He called on the state government to strengthen policy frameworks, expand digital infrastructure to underserved areas, and scale up successful models across primary and secondary health centres.

He also recommended promoting digital literacy among health workers and ensuring the sustainability of digital services through the state health insurance reimbursement model.

The Maternal Health Advocacy and Communications project, implemented by ACIOE Foundation and Nigeria Health Watch, aims to support state governments in strengthening maternal health services through policy advocacy and private sector engagement.