The Impact of Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria: A Review

Abstract

Background: Telemedicine practice is a rapidly evolving aspect of medicine in developed countries, though resource-limited countries like Nigeria are yet to embrace it fully. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has limited patients’ visits to hospitals in addition to the social distancing measures deployed by the government. In addition, with the challenges of a limited number of doctors, among other difficulties, it has become important that a radical approach to patient care and treatment should be explored. Methods: A comprehensive literature review of original articles was done using an internet search. Words such as Telemedicine, COVID-19, Pandemic, Requirements, History, Benefits, and Challenges were searched on Google scholar, EMBASE, PubMed, Medline, Web MD, and Scopus to check for various articles published or any probable link. The references of the relevant articles were searched. Results: The practice of telemedicine has evolved over the years. Also, the global telemedicine market has grown exponentially and is expected to grow even further in the next five years. Unfortunately, this exciting narrative is not obtainable in developing countries like Nigeria. Indeed, some healthcare providers in Nigeria need to prepare for this new technological advancement, and consequently, they struggle to evolve their practice to adopt this new technology. Furthermore, there is disinterest from most of the end users, particularly the patients. Conclusion: Modifications must involve telemedicine services with a view of getting ready and well-organized in the event of any future pandemic such as COVID-19, in addition to harnessing the benefits of this service in the future.