Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has inaugurated the Abia Tele-health initiative, otherwise known as ‘Dial-a-doctor’ initiative, describing it as commendable effort in the healthcare delivery system in the state.

Speaking at the event held at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, Osinbajo said that Abia had blazed the trail in the utilisation of Global System of Mobile Telecommunication (GSM) in the delivery of quality healthcare to the people of the state.

He said, “This is an especially exciting project because it is leveraging on available technology, in this case, the mobile phone to deliver affordable healthcare to the people.”

He said that it had become expedient in Nigeria to embrace technology to close the healthcare gap between the urban and rural areas.

Osinbajo said that available records showed that Abia had about 1.5 million mobile phones.

According to him, the state has taken “the lead in utilising the potential that mobile phone has as a means for delivering healthcare for the people.”

He, however, said that the success of the programme would depend on the willingness of stakeholders to take on feedback and make the adjustments necessary to meet the evolving needs of the target beneficiaries.

According to the Vice President, this initiative would be helpful to the state and other states that would want to copy it.

Osinbajo used the forum to restate the Federal Government’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerians, especially the poor and vulnerable.

He further said that the Federal Government had continued to render assistance to the 36 states of the federation, irrespective of their party affiliation.

He said that the gesture was a clear departure from the primordial practice, where past administrations at the centre always limited their assistance to states ruled by the party at the centre.

Osinbajo stated that the federal government had given out loans to over 7,500 small businesses in the state.

He assured Abia government of the unwavering commitment of the federal government to continue to partner and collaborate on any programmes designed to better the lives of the people.

In his speech, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu described the programme as “a dream come true,” saying “the initiative is the future of healthcare delivery in Nigeria and Africa.”

Ikpeazu said that the state government would leverage on the programme not only to improve life expectancy in Abia but surpass the average national life expectancy.

In a goodwill message, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, commended the state government for the initiative.

Adewole, who was represented by the Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Dr. Chuku Abali, said that the programme had the potential to make healthcare accessible to millions of Abia residents, if properly harnessed.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. John Ahukanna, said that the programme would make it possible for people to dial a dedicated GSM number and get medical attention from a doctor in the comfort of their homes.