Dr Okhuaihesuyi, Expanding The Bounds Of Welfare And Innovation In Nigeria Healthcare Sector
Since his assumption of duty as President of Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARDS) Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi has preoccupied himself with issues of welfare his colleagues and better ways of delivering services in the health sector.
Okhuaihesuyi’s predecessor did the much they could but achieved limited success because giving the nature if Nigerian labour environment, engaging government at various levels on issues of workers’ welfare are as scary and futile as they are dangerous to those who spearhead it.
This challenges have not made Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, an unassuming gentleman to relent, he has gained the reputation of fighter for the rights of the needy and oppressed.
At an early stage in life, Uyilawa had wanted to be a Preacher of the Gospel or a Doctor in line with his desire to serve humanity but he ended up becoming a Medical Doctor as both served this purpose.
Okhuaihesuyi is a Specialist Registrar in the department of Orthopaedic surgery at NOHI with special interest in Pediatric Orthopaedics.
Some of his demands for his members which had pitched him against the federal government include, immediate and complete payment of all those on GIFMIS; migration of all NARD members on GIFMIS into IPPIS and payment ofv minimum wage arrears payment to those concerned.
Others were, salary shortfall of 2014, 2015 and 2016, hazard allowance as percentage of GIFMIS.
A general strike was narrowly averted as he negotiated with the Federal government over these issues.
On the area of improving the quality of service delivery in the health sector, initiated a partnership with DEHR (Decentralised Electronic Health Record), developers of a mobile healthcare app and online platform, with a focus on Africa with its headquarters in Abuja.
DEHR is a health service provider that enables users to have virtual consultations with doctors and health care professionals via text and video messaging through its mobile application and online platform.
With the use of blockchain technology, the company became known for its advanced technical solutions and on-chain health record storage and access.
Determined to improve efficiency, profitability and quality of healthcare in Nigeria, Okhuaihesuyi upon his election as president of NARD turned his leadership prowess to the area of turning for the health sector of Nigeria around through technology.
According to him, e-Health is the beginning of the end for the old-fashioned way we use in healthcare, in no distant future computers would perform better than doctors at bringing efficiency to administration and making diagnoses.
The NARD president said benefits of technology which the partnership would bring were immense and called on practitioners in the sector to embrace blockchain for ease of diagnosis, treatment, record keeping and other administrative matters.
He pledged his commitment to the digitisation of the entire membership of the NARD and creating a digital database for Doctors using DEHR’S Digital Identity and Self Sovereignty Management System.
“Everyone deserves to live in a world that affords them good healthcare safety, dignity and respect.
“To make sure that Africa is not forgotten or left behind we have made it a duty and obligation to introduce advanced technological healthcare delivery and management system across the country.
“We will partner with key actors and institutions both public and private to improve accessibility, credibility and efficiency. To achieve this, we have sourced DEHR’s solution.
“Our newly developed DEHR decentralised database and medical wallet system that has been developed by DEHR offers each patient a single true version of their health and medical record whenever and wherever it is needed.
“Blockchain technology is revolutionising the way we process, distribute, and engage with data, and DEHR is at the forefront of bringing blockchain to the world of healthcare in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
DEHR is an unalterable, secure and decentralised, increasing security and significantly reducing the risk of data theft or adulteration.
DEHR’s Self Sovereignty and Digital Identity Management System will give each physician a self-sovereign digital identity attached to a digital asset wallet that holds the physician’s credentials.
This is a first for Nigeria, we are well ahead of the game here because the current credentialing process is fraught with administrative lapses.
When credentials are validated on the DEHR’s platform it will eliminate the uncompensated administrative burden physicians carry.
Furthermore, Physicians will now have complete control, reducing the risk for identity theft and giving them an opportunity to be paid for access to their credentials and data.
The credentials will be portable, validated and authenticated digitally by the respective issuing institution.
DEHR will give physicians sovereign control over their digital identity, professional brand along with the data that identity creates.
Again, physicians currently communicate largely via word of mouth or on centralised platforms that are influenced by outside parties and therefore are not secure.
With DEHR, physicians will be able to communicate directly and securely with no third-party influence or oversight, thereby protecting their professional identity and credentials while also protecting the privacy of their patients’ health information.
“I encourage everyone to Register, Hospitals, Doctors, Patients, Chemists, Laboratories, Pharmacies and other healthcare workers and join us in changing the landscape of the Nigerian Health sector for the better”.
DEHR is run by a group of dynamic and fascinating team of Mathematicians, Scientist, Engineers, Doctors, Academics, Blockchain developers, and policy makers led by its MD/CEO Mr Mo Mohammed, COO Mr Raad Aswani, CTO Raymond Odiagha and the Chairperson Mr Musa Mantu who were all not available for comment.
