Lagos Gov’t Digitises 100 PHCs, Charts Roadmap For Statewide EMR Rollout

The Lagos State Government has taken significant step toward modernising healthcare delivery by digitising 100 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHC) facilities through the deployment of Electronic Medical Records (EMR).

The development marked a pivotal milestone in the state’s ambitious plan to roll out EMRs across all 326 PHC centres as part of a comprehensive digital health reform strategy.

Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi, at a two-day Progress Review Workshop on the Lagos Primary Health Care (PHC) Digitisation Project in Lagos on Thursday, emphasised that the digitisation of PHCs is not just about innovation, but about building a smarter, more sustainable health system that delivers better care to Lagosians.

“Today, we are defining the future of equitable and accessible healthcare for over 20 million residents of Lagos State. This is our opportunity to lead a digital revolution starting from the primary care level,” she said.

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Organised by the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board (LSPHCB) in collaboration with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) with support from the Gates Foundation, the workshop brought together key stakeholders to evaluate the deployment of EMR in digital-enabled PHC facilities.

Ogunyemi who was represented by Dr. Adeyemi stressed that the state’s Digital-enabled PHC Project is designed to support continuity of care, reduce duplication, and enhance data-driven public health interventions.

“EHRs improve diagnosis, track patient outcomes, support referrals, and strengthen our capacity for real-time surveillance. But they must be sustained by robust systems and long-term financing strategies,” she added.

Outlining key policy priorities, the special adviser disclosed the state’s plan to institutionalise EHR financing through a dedicated digital health budget line, explore innovative public-private partnerships, and integrate EMRs with the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme.

“We are working to ensure EMRs are no longer donor-dependent pilots but co-financed, locally-owned solutions embedded in our health system reform strategy,” she affirmed.

Addressing sustainability concerns, Ogunyemi highlighted challenges such as fragmented systems, infrastructure limitations, financial constraints, and the need for human resource capacity.

“Technology alone is not enough; adoption depends on people. That is why we have launched the Digital Health Champions Program to equip our providers with the skills and tools to transition seamlessly,” she noted.

In his address, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Ibrahim Mustafa described the workshop as a strategic checkpoint to consolidate the state’s digital health gains and recalibrate for scale-up.

“This is more than a review. It is a moment of strategic reflection and alignment toward a shared digital health future,” he said.

Mustafa applauded the successful deployment of the EMR platform across 100 PHCs, describing the impact as transformative.

“We are seeing improved coordination, efficiency, and data integrity at the point of care. Our goal now is to institutionalise these gains and expand them across all 326 PHC facilities in Lagos,” he stated.

He emphasised the need to address real-world implementation challenges such as power supply, connectivity, and workforce readiness, adding that discussions during the workshop would shape the next phase of rollout.