By Ifeanyi Uwagwu
In a bid to expand healthcare delivery across the state and beyond, a team of innovators at Dennis Osadebe University (DOU), Asaba, have launched a digital platform — the NIHEAL (Nigeria’s Innovative Health Entrepreneurship, Access and Linked ICT) Project — to confront the challenges currently bedevilling the nation’s health sector.
The lead researcher and Associate Professor in Applied Ethics, Culture, Philosophy and Entrepreneurship Development at DOU, Dr Iheanacho Metuonu, explained that the NIHEAL Project is a British Council-sponsored initiative funded by a grant awarded in November 2025, with implementation commencing in January 2026.
He described the platform as a telemedicine application that deploys ICT to advance medical care delivery nationwide, with a vision to rethink healthcare access in Nigeria.
“This project does not seek to replace existing healthcare structures. Rather, it seeks to strengthen and complement them. We are all aware of the realities confronting our healthcare system: shortage of medical doctors, long waiting times in hospitals, weak emergency response mechanisms, limited access to reliable health information, and migration of skilled health professionals.”
He noted that in many communities, patients arrive at health facilities only to discover that no doctor is available, while emergency cases are often delayed due to poor coordination. Primary healthcare centres, which should serve as the backbone of the health system, remain overstretched.
“Yet, while doctors may be physically scarce, technology is not. NIHEAL is an integrated digital health ecosystem designed to connect patients to verified doctors remotely, reduce waiting times through scheduled tele-consultations, and strengthen emergency response through real-time reporting and ambulance coordination, amongst other benefits,” he said.
Beyond improving access to care, Metuonu added that the platform also offers economic empowerment to medical graduates, undergraduates and allied health professionals through flexible freelance opportunities. He described NIHEAL as an entrepreneurial health ecosystem addressing two critical challenges: healthcare access and employment generation.
He therefore called on Nigerians and other health stakeholders in the state, including the Ministry of Health, to embrace the initiative, warning that Nigeria and other Sub-Saharan African nations risk being left behind in the ongoing global telemedicine revolution.
Earlier, the Chairman of the event and State Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme, lauded the innovators’ effort, noting that the platform would help ease some of the pressure within the health sector.
Represented by his aide, Dr Omovigho Agbele, the Commissioner said the initiative aligns with the MORE Agenda of the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori-led administration, as it seeks to broaden access to healthcare for all Deltans. He stressed that without a healthy population, meaningful development would remain unattainable.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of DOU, Prof Ben Oghojafor, congratulated the research team for bridging the gap between the university and the health community.
He expressed confidence that the project would play a vital role across the healthcare value chain and urged health professionals to remain innovative in tackling sectoral challenges.
The event, which attracted key stakeholders in the health sector, also featured a lecture on telemedicine by Prof Leonard Onuba, who provided insights into its various types and benefits. The high point of the ceremony was the formal onboarding of the platform by Dr Onojaeme.
