Web3 technology has the potential to revolutionize healthcare in Nigeria by providing a secure and decentralized platform for sharing healthcare data, enabling telemedicine services, and facilitating the creation of decentralized health records. Here are some ways that web3 technology can promote innovation and improvements in healthcare in Nigeria:
Secure sharing of healthcare data:
Web3 technology provides a secure and decentralized platform for sharing healthcare data, which can help improve the quality of care and reduce healthcare costs. By enabling patients to control their own data and share it with healthcare providers, web3 technology can improve patient outcomes and enable more efficient healthcare services.
Telemedicine:
Web3 technology enables telemedicine services, which can provide remote access to healthcare services for individuals who live in remote or underserved areas. This can help reduce the burden on healthcare facilities and improve access to healthcare services for individuals who may not be able to travel to traditional healthcare facilities.
Some political leaders in Nigeria are already throwing their weight behind Telemedicine.
Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has inaugurated a telemedicine hub to address the gap created by the shortage of healthcare workers in the state.
Mr Soludo, in a speech at the inauguration in Awka, said that the telemedicine hub was part of efforts to ensure that healthcare services were provided in all parts of the state, especially in hard-to-reach areas.
He said that the pilot hub, at the Comprehensive Medical Centre, Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area of the state, is connected to 10 other health centres in different communities.
He said: “Telemedicine is simply the use of telecommunication gadgets to remotely consult, diagnose and treat patients, irrespective of their locations.
“With the gap created with the rate of brain drain in the country, this technology will improve and increase access to healthcare in the state.
“If this pilot hub works as expected, we will replicate it in the other 179 communities in the state.
“I commend the Awkuzu Community for erecting infrastructure in this medical centre and we urge other communities to partner with the government and emulate this gesture’’.
Diagnostic google will be used at the healthcare facilities to get the doctors to attend to patients from any location. This telemedicine improves the health and well-being of people by reducing delays in accessing healthcare due to time, distance and location.
Decentralized health records:
Web3 technology can facilitate the creation of decentralized health records, which can provide a secure and efficient way for healthcare providers to access patient data. Decentralized health records can also enable patients to control their own health data, ensuring that their data is used only for healthcare purposes and is not subject to data breaches or other security threats.
Here are some benefits of using a decentralized health management system.
Prescription Drug Traceability:
Drug traceability is a crucial aspect of the healthcare industry, as it ensures patient safety and prevents the circulation of counterfeit drugs. The current drug supply chain is complex and fragmented, making it difficult to track the movement of drugs from manufacturers to patients. However, blockchain technology can provide a solution to this problem by offering a secure and transparent system for tracking the movement of drugs throughout the supply chain. Blockchain technology can be used to create a digital ledger that tracks every step of the drug supply chain. Each transaction or movement of the drug would be recorded on the blockchain, creating a permanent and tamper-proof record of the drug’s journey.
Supply chain management:
Blockchain adoption can increase the efficiency and transparency of supply chain management in the healthcare sector, making it more straightforward to follow the flow of medical supplies and equipment. A blockchain-based supply chain management system utilized in the pharmaceutical industry is VeChain, for example. One example of VeChain’s use in the pharmaceutical industry is with the Chinese pharmaceutical company, Shanghai HuaZheng. Shanghai HuaZheng partnered with VeChain to develop a traceability platform for their drugs.The platform uses VeChain’s blockchain technology to record the entire life cycle of the drug, from production to distribution to the end consumer. The platform also uses smart contract technology to automate processes such as quality control and compliance. VeChain has also been adopted by the Australian pharmaceutical company, Blackmores. Blackmores is using VeChain’s blockchain platform to track the origin and authenticity of its products. The platform provides consumers with a QR code that they can scan to access information about the product’s ingredients, manufacturing process, and supply chain.
Improvement in Clinical Trials:
Blockchain can revolutionize the way clinical trials are conducted, by providing a more transparent and secure system for tracking patient data and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. It can also help to reduce the time and costs associated with drug development and supply chain management by providing an immutable and tamper-proof record of every stage of the process. The Clinical Trials Reporting and Results (CTRR) platform is one example of a platform using blockchain to store clinical trial data.
Furthermore, blockchain can be used to store additional information about the drug, such as its batch number, expiry date, and manufacturer information. This information can be accessed by authorized parties at any stage of the supply chain, ensuring that drugs are authentic and have not expired.
Improved healthcare research:
As seen previously, Web3 technology can enable the creation of blockchain-based healthcare research platforms that can facilitate the sharing of healthcare data and promote collaboration among researchers. By enabling secure and transparent access to healthcare data, web3 technology can help improve healthcare research and development in Nigeria.
Overall, web3 technology has the potential to improve healthcare in Nigeria by enabling secure sharing of healthcare data, facilitating telemedicine services, and creating decentralized health records. By promoting innovation and collaboration among healthcare providers and researchers, web3 technology can help improve the quality of care and reduce healthcare costs in Nigeria.
