The Lagos State Government’s Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP) to be implemented by Nigeria’s payments technology giant, Interswitch, will mark the start of what Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu describes as “comprehensive technological overhaul” of healthcare delivery across the state.
The Lagos State Governor announced on Tuesday that his administration has inked an eHealth deal for the implementation of SHIPS to Interswith, a Nigerian technology group with stakes across payments, property listings and lately, telecoms through its MVNO unit, Systegra Technologies Limited.
“Today, I witnessed the signing of a Concession Agreement between the Lagos State Government and Interswitch for the implementation of the Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP),” the Lagos State Governor said while writing on social media platform, X.
“This platform,” Sanwo-Olu said, “signifies the start of a comprehensive technological overhaul in our state’s health sector, aimed at enhancing residents’ access to healthcare services.”
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State.
Governor Sanwo-Olu: SHIPS to enhance access to healthcare services across Lagos State.
“This platform,” Sanwo-Olu said, “signifies the start of a comprehensive technological overhaul in our state’s health sector, aimed at enhancing residents’ access to healthcare services.”
According to him, “I believe that this platform represents a significant and innovative approach to utilizing technology for accessing health information. It is poised to deliver numerous benefits and eliminate payment barriers, thereby encouraging citizens to actively engage with the process.”
Lagos State said it embraced the implementation of SHIP to enhance efficiency in residents’ access to healthcare services alongside the collaboration between key stakeholders in the digital platform.
Governor Sanwo-Olu supervised the signing of the concession agreement on Tuesday at the Lagos House, Marina between the Office of Public Private Partnership (PPP) and the Digital Health Platform Limited, comprising of eClat, a health technology company and Interswitch, who was represented by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mitchell Elegbe and others for the implementation of the Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP) for the residents of Lagos.
The signing of the agreement was witnessed by the State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro.
The introduction of SHIP on January 14, 2020 was planned as a chain of care during the deployment of comprehensive technology to aid precise, faster and smarter healthcare services in all medical facilities in Lagos State.
Professor Akin Abayomi, Commissioner for Health, highlighted that the Smart Health strategy will enhance efficiency, reduce wastage of scarce resources and improve income generation, drive the bio-economy, accelerate human resource development, create global virtual health hub and prepare the State for the digital age of precision medicine.
Interswitch, a Nigerian establishment, is known for its expertise in payment solutions, a platform that collects, monitors and reports solution that helps corporate organisations receive payments from their customers across various channels, including banks, POS, Internet Banking and Quickteller (Web, Mobile, ATM, USSD), has diversified its services to include SHIP.
This strategic partnership between Lagos State, eClat and Interswitch aims to streamline healthcare delivery and improve patient outcomes by leveraging comprehensive technological solutions.
Under the implementation plan, the partnering entities have assured the public that the over seven million contact data collected from State-owned General Hospitals and Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) will be fully protected and not compromised. Maintaining the privacy of the collected data is of utmost importance, they said.
Sanwo-Olu, who emphasised the critical nature of data privacy in the design of the digital platform, also highlighted the involvement of the Ministry of Science and Technology in the project in ensuring that the platform was thoroughly vetted before its launch.
The CEO of Interswitch also expressed that the solution will not only facilitate the seamless flow of data between health institutions but also provide convenient payment options for patients.
The implementation of SHIP brings numerous benefits to residents of Lagos State, including easy access to medical records, removal of payment barriers, enhanced citizen engagement, reduced medical errors, improved patient care, improves patient education, and reduces cost, according to Lagos State Government.
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