Achieving sustainable e-health with information and communication technologies in Nigerian rural communities

Abstract

Modern information and communication technologies (ICTs) may be used to improve health care. Residents in rural areas appear to be at risk because they may still be plagued by diseases that might have been more easily prevented or managed if they have easy access to online e-health information provided by modern ICTs. Good health is vital for meaningful progress. Achieving good health is the third in the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. However, this goal may not be achieved among the people living in some rural areas because they do not have quick and adequate health information online. A field survey was carried out to sample the opinions of 621 respondents from 14 rural communities in Ota, Western Nigeria, on their access to online services. Since they have little or no access to online health information, their active participation and contribution to achieving sustainable e-health are almost non-existent. This study recommends that government and non-governmental organizations take urgent steps to increase residents’ access to the internet to facilitate their adoption of e-health and, by extension, SDG Goal Three’s speedy achievement.