By Asma’u Ahmad
The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) has announced the introduction of smart phones and tablets to help tackle child mortality in Nigeria, especially in conflict areas.
The Coordinator of ICRC Health activities in Nigeria, Dr. Hashemi Padshah said this at the launch of the initiative in Yola, Adamawa state.
Dr. Padshah explained that the project would be piloted by medical workers in ICRC-supported primary health care facilities in Adamawa.
He said the development is supported by Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) and Adamawa Primary Health Care Agency.
He emphasised that the core objective of the system was to improve the performance of healthcare workers by providing standardised procedures for the management of common medical issues.
“This new smart phone-age tool could become an essential and valuable part of ensuring a successful medical diagnosis and treatment plan for children in Nigeria,” he said.
He observed that lack of appropriately trained health workers and diagnostic tools harms the quality of healthcare delivered to children under-five years.
The Chairman of Adamawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency, said that the ICRC has been supporting seven primary healthcare centres in the state since 2015.
He listed the support to include the rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure, supply of equipment and drugs, as well as training of health workers.
