Nigeria is currently facing a healthcare crisis that has resulted in many unnecessary deaths due to several challenges such as; overworked medical personnel, insufficient budgetary allocation amongst many others. In the wake of this, policymakers must be able to easily access relevant information to make decisions based on the limited resources available.
Often, the reports published by agencies are not near real-time because many parts of Nigeria do not have access to electricity, internet connectivity; coupled with overburdened health workers with limited skills at the facilities; which further impedes the process of data collection. In some cases, data is collated from primary health care centers on paper forms. The challenge is that the raw data is cumbersome to collate due to the volume of papers, and they are easily susceptible to damage. This often leads to the loss of important information as the data is processed across reporting facilities in the country.
Although there are viable digital alternatives to data collection such as the use of data collection apps, online surveys, spreadsheets, and health information systems, a lot of remote areas in Nigeria do not have access to the necessary equipment (i.e.information systems, internet connectivity, etc). This makes it necessary to create solutions that are adapted to the unique needs, so that information collected gives a reflection of the true state of healthcare conditions in Nigeria.
Another issue is the multiplicity of data collection activities in the country by different health partners, which eventually results in decentralized data banks that are not comprehensive. A way to solve this problem is to institutionalize a central analytic repository that can triangulate available data from the different sources. This would potentially improve decision-making by providing a transparent view of all relevant data sources for prioritized indicators in the country.
In line with this, eHealth4everyone has supported the government, through the Federal Ministry of Health, to build such a platform called the Multi-Source Data Analytics & Triangulation (MSDAT) Platform which serves as a central analytic repository of health data and displays an analysis of key health indicators in the country.
As a digital health enterprise where we emphasize saving lives through technology, we saw the need for a solution that solves the unique problems faced with data collection; so we created Datakojo which is a subscription-based offline/online data collection and management system. It provides instant data analysis for timely reporting and decision-making. Datakojo is also able to integrate with DHIS2, an open-source software platform for reporting, analysis, and dissemination of data for health programs.
In addition, we have created several dashboards for partners, agencies, and donor organizations that monitor key analytics for projects.
In addition to our expertise in dashboard engineering, we have an efficient team of data scientists who can clean and transform your data whilst preserving its integrity; building pipelines that integrate with multiple datasets and make them open to use.
With our understanding of the challenges faced with data availability, and accessibility in the country, we created the Healththink platform which aims to simplify health data for individuals and organizations.
The platform serves as a comprehensive data bank with dashboards, infographics and blogs that help communicate data intuitively for civic engagement. The database contains useful information obtained from reliable secondary data sources which can be used in research by students, public health enthusiasts, and the general public.
We are open to working on new projects that will positively impact the healthcare system in Nigeria which would help us achieve our vision of better health for everyone, through innovative digital technologies. Contact us today!
