Ekiti State Establishes Technical Working Group to Drive Digital Health Transformation
The Ekiti State Government has inaugurated a 35-member Technical Working Group (TWG) to implement a comprehensive digital health strategy, aiming to strengthen service delivery and accelerate progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The initiative, announced in Ado Ekiti, will focus on adopting Nigeria’s National Digital Health Architecture. This framework is designed to unify health registries, electronic medical records (EMRs), and data exchange systems across the state. According to the State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Oyebanji Filani, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Olusola Gbenga-Igotun, the move addresses critical gaps in health data management. The goal is to ensure secure, statewide access to health information for both patients and providers, enabling data-driven decision-making to improve system management and care quality.
The state has already begun digitalising aspects of its health sector, including the Ulerawa flagship health insurance programme and electronic record-keeping in several secondary facilities. The new TWG, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, includes representatives from government ministries, civil society, private medical practitioners, and development partners. Its mandate is to coordinate the implementation of interoperable digital health solutions.
Supporting the effort, the Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Science and Digital Economy, Ayodele Adeyanju, stated that unified digital records would allow quicker access to patient histories, particularly in emergencies. Similarly, Dr. Charles Doherty, General Manager of the Ekiti State Health Insurance Scheme, emphasised that digitalisation is essential for integrating the state’s health information systems into the national ecosystem and improving monitoring and evaluation.
The Digital Health Focal Person, Mrs. Olayemi Ojo, described the TWG’s inauguration as a major milestone, reflecting the state’s commitment to leveraging technology for better health outcomes and aligning with Nigeria’s broader digital health transformation agenda.
This development follows recent state efforts to enhance maternal health through digital solutions. By institutionalising a coordinated approach, Ekiti aims to build a resilient, technology-enabled health system that can sustainably improve access and quality of care for its population. The success of the TWG’s work is expected to contribute directly to the state’s UHC targets and the national digital health objectives.
