Healthcare professionals and other stakeholders have called for wider use of home-based medical care to reduce overcrowding in hospitals and improve access to services.

The call was made at a healthcare summit organised by Nexa Nurses in Ikeja, Lagos.

Speakers at the event said shortages of healthcare workers and the difficulties some patients face in reaching hospitals make home care increasingly important.

Dr Tunji Akintade, a former chairman of the Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria in Lagos, noted that the COVID-19 period showed that not every patient needs to visit a hospital for treatment.

Akintade explained that patients who require daily injections or other routine care can receive the same services from nurses in their neighbourhoods. He said the approach could also create jobs for nurses who are unable to find placements in government facilities, while particularly helping elderly people and others with limited mobility.

At the summit, Nexa Nurses unveiled a mobile application designed to connect patients with qualified and registered nurses for home care.

The platform aims to formalise services that have often been provided informally and includes safety features such as location tracking and emergency alerts.

Collins Nwude, Chief Technical Officer of the company, said the firm would also work with security agencies to protect both nurses and patients. Stakeholders at the event agreed that expanding home-based care, supported by proper prescriptions and digital records, could help ease the burden on hospitals while improving access to medical attention.

Photo credit: Punch Newspaper