Nigeria
Opoji Comprehensive Health Center, Opoji
Program focus: Peer-to-peer training, clinical consults
Nigeria, located on the western coast of Africa, is one of the most populous countries in the world, with approximately 200 million people. Despite such a population, Nigeria’s physician to population ratio is just 0.38 physicians for every 1,000 people—not nearly enough physicians to meet the country’s health needs (World Bank).
Africa suffers 24% of the global disease burden but only has access to 3% of the world’s health workers (World Health Organization). This creates major gaps in the already under-resourced Nigerian health system, leaving many patients without access to vital health services.
World Telehealth Initiative’s program addresses these issues by expanding healthcare access through a clinical mentorship program in Opoji, Nigeria. The Kingdom of Opoji is a group of rural villages in southern Nigeria, where most residents are farmers.
Opoji has a remarkably high death rate due to preventable and treatable illnesses. The nearest hospital is 38 miles away and largely inaccessible due to poverty and lack of transportation. We are partnering with the local health center to build the capacity of Opoji’s healthcare system.
Our program trains and supports physicians, medical students, and care teams in Opoji so they are equipped to address more complex and specialized health needs in their community. Medical specialists from Providence, one of the United States’ largest not for profit healthcare systems, regularly mentor local healthcare professionals in Opoji via telehealth.