The Enugu State Government has called on public and private health facilities to adopt digital medical record systems to improve healthcare delivery and reduce treatment delays.
The appeal was made by the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Emmanuel Obi, during a Stakeholders’ Meeting on Ecosystem-Wide Sensitisation for the Adoption of a Secured Health Information Exchange (HIE), held on Friday in Enugu.
The event was powered by Uburu AI, a digital health platform that leverages data and technology to transform healthcare delivery.
Prof. Obi said the adoption of Uburu AI would allow for secure, seamless transfer of patients’ medical records between referring and receiving facilities, thereby enhancing continuity of care and expediting treatment.
He noted that the platform supports interoperability between health institutions through a military-grade information exchange system.
“The University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) has already tested the system and validated its security, speed, and reliability,” Obi said.
He further explained that both the National Health Act and the Enugu State Health Sector Reform Law mandate the sharing of patient records, provided patient consent is obtained.
“Instead of initiating legal enforcement immediately, we are engaging stakeholders first to avoid conflicts that could disrupt patient care,” the commissioner said.
“This meeting aims to clarify the legal framework, outline the benefits of compliance, and show how facilities can improve care, efficiency, and regulatory alignment.”
Dr. Chinwe Anibeze, Permanent Secretary at the State Ministry of Health, also spoke at the event. She highlighted the dangers of fragmented patient information across different healthcare levels, which she said undermines the quality of care.
According to her, the lack of integrated data systems results in treatment delays, diagnostic errors, and repeated testing—issues that drive up healthcare costs and endanger patient safety.
UNTH’s Chief Medical Director, Prof. Obinna Onodugo, said the hospital adopted Uburu AI to eliminate the risks associated with fragmented records and unnecessary repeat diagnostics.
“Our clinicians can now access complete patient histories, regardless of where the patient began their treatment journey,” he said.
The Director of the University of Nigeria Centre of Excellence for Clinical Trials (UNNCECT), Prof. Emeritus Ifeoma Okoye emphasized that reliable health data is key to targeted interventions and effective policymaking.
“Countries that will lead the next phase of global health innovation are those that treat data as critical infrastructure,” she added.
The State Attorney General, Mr. Kingsley Udeh—represented by the Director of Civil Litigation, Mrs. Uzamka Okeji—stressed the importance of confidentiality, noting that patient data can only be shared with proper consent or a court order.
Earlier, Mr. Joel Aniegbe, a representative of Uburu AI, explained that the platform is built to ensure fast, secure transfer of medical records between facilities within and beyond Enugu State.
He said the innovation ensures that no medical history is lost, enabling connected care and better health outcomes.
