Celebrate Francis Ohanyido on His birthday

Francis Ohanyido (born March 4, 1970) of Ufuma heritage is an African philosopher, poet, essayist, public health Physician, and Rights Advocate. Francis obtained his first degree in Medicine & Surgery (MB, BS) from University of Jos in Nigeria. He continued with post-graduate trainings at Imo State University and Ahmadu Bello University (Zaria) in Health service administration and Public health

Technology Sans Frontieres

Dr. Ohanyido has had a strong involvement in the convergence of technology and healthcare, especially as it concerns health information technologies . In 2003, as a result of the strong need to bridge the digital divide in health care in low-income settings like his home nation, coupled with his studies in computer applications in health care, he set up the web-based Nigerian Telemedicine Development Alliance (NTDA). This body was to serve as a fulcrum for online outreach and advocacy for telemedicine infrastructure in Nigeria and the rest of Africa.

He has theorised on models for the possible cost-effective delivery of Telemedicine and eHealth in Nigeria. This singular effort by NTDA and other associates led to the development of strong interest on the part of the Federal Government of Nigeria to consider further studies and possible approaches to deployment of e-Health structures.

In 2008, he had served as a board member and Deputy Secretary General of the Society for Telemedicine and eHealth in Nigeria (SFTeHIN). He was one of the core SfTeHIN team that in collaboration with WHO, that instituted the PanAfrican Conference on Telemedicine and eHealth (PACTe).

He has advocated to Nigeria and other countries in the low resource bracket to start thinking strategically ahead on smart investments in basic information and communications technologies (ICTs) to support their educational and health systems which can lead to a turnaround in global capacity to help solve mankind’s growing problems.

 The gates to this, he has suggested, will be by providing basic educational opportunities for all children and setting up efficient systems to keep track of learning trends and adaptively working to create a kind of flexible learning framework and knowledge management structure as part of a wider e-learning strategy. This will be able to ride on a system that allows research to inform policy.