Prof. Abiodun Otegbayo, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, has attributed the slow progress in the digitalisation of medical operations in public hospitals to the migration of skilled healthcare workers, a phenomenon popularly referred to as “japa.”
Otegbayo made the comments in an interview with our correspondence on Sunday while discussing the challenges faced in implementing Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and other digital healthcare systems at UCH.
He explained that hospitals invest substantial resources in training healthcare personnel on digital systems, only to lose them shortly afterward to better opportunities abroad.
“One of the major issues we face in the health sector is the loss of human capital, commonly referred to as ‘japa’,” Otegbayo said. “If you train someone today, within two months, they might leave, and then you have to start the training process all over again.”
This situation has forced UCH to continuously train large numbers of staff to ensure the sustainability of its ongoing digitalisation efforts.
The CMD added that UCH was currently training “super users” across various departments, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and laboratory scientists, who would, in turn, train others within the system.
Otegbayo explained that UCH is gradually transitioning from paper-based operations to a hybrid system that combines both manual and electronic medical processes.
The hospital recently engaged a new Electronic Medical Records (EMR) service provider after parting ways with the previous provider in November 2025. The hospital is working to expand the EMR system gradually across different departments.
“However, sustaining trained manpower remains a challenge due to the constant migration of staff,” Otegbayo said.
Other obstacles identified by Otegbayo include unstable electricity supply, poor internet connectivity, and inadequate funding, which all hamper the smooth implementation of digital systems in public hospitals.
Despite these challenges, Otegbayo emphasized that digital systems are essential to improving healthcare delivery. “With electronic medical records, patient information can be accessed faster, missing files are minimized, and waiting times are significantly reduced,” he said.
He added that some units within the hospital, such as the General Outpatient Department (GOPD), radiology, and the universal laboratory, had already begun partial digital operations. These digital systems, Otegbayo noted, also improve communication between departments and support continuity in patient care.
“In advanced healthcare systems, hospitals are interconnected, and patient records can be accessed electronically from different locations. That is where we need to get to in Nigeria,” he said.
In line with its ongoing digital transformation, UCH has also begun additional staff training on digital healthcare operations. Recently, a training program on Digital Queue Management System (DQMS) was organized for the staff of the General Outpatient Department and Staff Clinic to enhance patient flow and reduce waiting times.
Otegbayo described this training as part of the hospital’s broader commitment to gradual digital transformation despite the operational challenges it faces. He stressed that government support, sustained investment, and retention of skilled manpower would be essential to achieving effective digital healthcare systems in Nigeria.
