The Nigerian Government has signalled a major push in digital health innovation, declaring Health Information Management (HIM) experts essential to building a smarter healthcare system.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, made the announcement on Tuesday while addressing the 44th Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Association of Health Records and Information Management Practitioners of Nigeria (AHRIMPN) in Abuja.
Speaking on the theme “Strengthening Nigeria’s Healthcare System Through Innovation and Technology in Health Information Management”, Salako said digital innovation is a key pillar of the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.
“No health system can function effectively without reliable information and efficient data management”, he said, describing health data as critical to planning, policy, research, performance measurement, and accountability.
He highlighted HIM professionals as central to ongoing reforms, which include electronic health records, data harmonisation, nationwide digital literacy programmes, and the creation of a national health information exchange.
“Health Information Management is a core component of the healthcare team. We all rely on the accuracy and integrity of information produced by HIM professionals”, Salako noted.
The minister pledged continued collaboration with AHRIMPN and the Health Records Officers Registration Board of Nigeria (HRORBN) to strengthen professional standards, improve welfare and career progression, expand training, and ensure the ethical and secure use of health data.
He outlined five key areas of partnership:
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Digitising and integrating health records nationwide
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Standardising data for interoperability and quality assurance
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Building capacity in analytics, AI, and health informatics
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Supporting career advancement and professional recognition
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Driving joint research and innovation to improve national health statistics
Salako emphasised that the digital transformation aims to equip every health worker, from rural primary health centres to tertiary hospitals, to effectively use modern digital tools.
“Digital transformation is not about replacing human expertise; it is about amplifying it,” he said, urging practitioners to embrace emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, telemedicine, and the Internet of Medical Things.
He also commended AHRIMPN for sustaining its annual scientific conference and praised HRORBN for providing regulatory oversight and continuous professional development.
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