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By Doris Obinna
When Chidinma arrived at a public hospital in Abia State for what she hoped would be a routine follow-up appointment, she had already travelled from a neighbouring community before dawn, clutching the referral slip she had been given weeks earlier.
After hours of waiting, a nurse finally asked for her medical file number. Minutes stretched into an hour. Then two. Eventually, she was told what many patients in Nigeria’s public hospitals have heard before: the file could not be found.
Without her records, the doctor could not confirm the tests she had already done or the medications she had been prescribed. Chidinma was advised to repeat several investigations, including tests she had paid for just weeks earlier. The cost was not only financial; it was also time lost, energy drained, and confidence shaken in a system meant to care for her.
Chidinma’s experience reflects a broader challenge across many public health facilities in Nigeria, where paper-based medical records remain the primary method of documentation. These records can easily be misplaced, damaged, or incorrectly filed, leading to delays in treatment, repeated tests, and additional costs for patients.
To address these challenges, the Abia State Ministry of Health ahead of the deployment of eClinic, Interswitch’s is introducing an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) solution across public health facilities in the state. The initiative forms part of wider efforts by the administration of Alex Chioma Otti to strengthen healthcare services and improve the efficiency of hospital operations.
The digital platform will allow authorised healthcare workers to access patient records electronically, making it easier to track medical histories, laboratory results, and treatment plans across different facilities. Officials say the system is expected to reduce delays caused by missing files and improve coordination between primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare providers.
Health authorities note that electronic records can also support more effective referrals, ensuring that patient information follows individuals as they move through the health system rather than requiring new files at each point of care.
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According to officials at the Ministry of Health, digital records may also improve financial transparency and hospital management by providing clearer documentation of services delivered and revenue generated.
They further explained that the system being introduced is designed to store patient data securely while following recognised medical classification standards such as ICD-11. “By replacing manual record keeping with digital documentation, healthcare workers will be able to update patient information more efficiently while maintaining accurate clinical histories.
“For healthcare providers, the shift could also reduce administrative workload. Nurses and doctors often spend considerable time searching for files or recreating missing information, particularly in busy public hospitals.
The use of digital records could also expand access to specialist care. In facilities located far from major urban centres, healthcare workers may be able to consult specialists remotely, improving diagnosis and treatment decisions for patients in rural communities.”
Officials acknowledge that the transition to digital health systems will require training for healthcare workers, reliable power supply, and safeguards to protect patient data. “Ensuring that staff are comfortable using the new system will be a key part of its successful implementation.
For patients like Chidinma, however, the most immediate benefit would be simple: knowing that their medical history is available when they need care.
If implemented effectively, the introduction of electronic medical records in Abia State could mark an important step toward improving continuity of care, reducing inefficiencies, and strengthening trust in public healthcare services.”
