Kigali:Dr. Iziaq Salako, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, emphasized the need for African nations to develop intelligent digital health infrastructure before fully leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI). He made these remarks during the opening address of the Fifth Africa Healthtech Summit in Kigali, Rwanda.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Salako highlighted Africa’s innovative capabilities in digital applications, electronic medical records, telemedicine platforms, surveillance systems, and AI tools. However, he stressed the importance of integrating these innovations into sustainable national systems to improve lives.
Nigeria is spearheading this transition through the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, which utilizes a Sector-Wide Approach. Digital transformation is viewed as a crucial enabler for enhancing health system functions, including service delivery, governance, and financing. Salako noted previous investments in digital health created valuable solutions but lacked interconnectivity.
To address this, Nigeria has developed the National Digital Health Architecture (NDHA), endorsed by the National Council on Health, aiming to replace fragmented projects with a unified, secure, and interoperable ecosystem. This architecture includes foundational infrastructure such as a Health Information Exchange and national registries, ensuring health information follows patients securely across various facilities and programs.
Salako also mentioned the establishment of the National Health Technology and Data Analytics Office by President Bola Tinubu, which will oversee Nigeria‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¾¢s digital health agenda, promote standardization, and coordinate the implementation of the NDHA.
He stressed that a solid digital foundation is essential for Africa to reap AI’s benefits, urging investments in interoperable architecture, trustworthy data, and cybersecurity. Salako called for stronger collaboration among governments, development partners, and the private sector to foster innovation and investment. He emphasized that technology should ultimately serve the people, ensuring equitable access and sustainable innovations.
Salako reinforced Nigeria’s commitment to sharing experiences with other African nations to advance digital health transformation, advocating for equity and accessibility in technological advancements.