Former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, has urged the Federal Government to invest in digital health technology through Islamic financing instruments, News About Nigeria reports.
Shekarau emphasised that digital technology could enhance healthcare access, reduce geographical barriers, and improve service quality, providing specialized healthcare for all Nigerians, regardless of their social status.
“Let us leverage the principles of Islamic finance to create financing models that support the adoption, implementation, and scaling up of digital health solutions across Nigeria,” he said.
Shekarau further noted that Islamic finance, with its principles of fairness and social responsibility, could play a pivotal role in supporting the adoption and implementation of digital health technology in Nigeria.
He praised the summit as a unique platform to explore the intersection of Islamic financing and digital health technology to drive Nigeria’s primary healthcare transformation agenda.
Baba Yunus Muhammad, the President of the African Islamic Economic Foundation, also echoed this sentiment, urging the Federal Government of Nigeria to harness the potential of Islamic finance to establish a sustainable healthcare system in the country.
Speaking at a one-day international summit on Islamic financing as an alternative funding source for primary healthcare in Nigeria, Muhammad emphasised the importance of focusing on healthcare and exploring diverse financing sources to enhance affordability and accessibility.
The summit, organised by the Islamic Economic Foundation and Duke Consult with the support of the Development Research and Projects Centre (DRPC), brought together stakeholders to discuss the role of Islamic finance in transforming primary healthcare.
Muhammad highlighted the transformative potential of digital technology combined with Islamic finance, noting that these tools could revolutionize healthcare delivery, making services more accessible and bridging the gap between healthcare providers and patients.
Advocating for the government’s attention to digital technology in healthcare infrastructure development, Muhammad urged the authorities to leverage these tools for sustainable primary healthcare.
He described the summit as a significant milestone in bringing together healthcare, technology, and faith-based financial principles to enhance access and quality of healthcare in one of Africa’s most populous nations.
Dr. Stanley Ukpai, supporting the need for Nigeria to diversify its domestic funding sources for healthcare, called on stakeholders to find alternative funding mechanisms beyond the traditional budget dependence. Participants at the summit included representatives from the Islamic Development Bank, academia, the business community, and technology firms, among others.
