ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAKS ON THE DEMAND FOR ELECTRONIC HEALTH IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT:
Electronic health (e-Health) and Mobile health (m-Health) is perceived as opportunity for patients to access their health care providers in the developing countries during coronavirus pandemic as it has been found to contribute tremendously to health care provision in the developed world even before the pandemic. This study attempts to assess how residents of developing countries annexe e-health and m-health during coronavirus outbreak. More specifically, the study analyses the demand for and adoption of electronic health in the face of coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria (a developing country)
using Borgu local government, Niger state as case study. It was found that during the outbreak, residents of the local government did not significantly adopt electronic health during the pandemic majorly due to access to community health worker and cost of adopting electronic health facilities. It was recommended that government and relevant health care agencies that deal policy formulation take necessary measure to encourage wider acceptance of electronic health in Nigeria.

Keywords: Coronavirus, e-Health, m-Health; infectious disease, pandemic.