MTN Nigeria has donated a range of medical and digital equipment to the Obalende Primary Healthcare Centre in Lagos, reinforcing its commitment to enhancing grassroots healthcare through its annual Y’ello Care initiative.
The donation includes desktop computers, tablets, a 5G router, delivery beds, fans, chairs, and essential healthcare supplies, aimed at modernising the centre’s operations and improving patient care.
The initiative, now in its 18th year, mobilises MTN staff nationwide to support critical sectors via volunteering and targeted interventions, with this year’s theme focused on “Connecting at the Roots” and the staff chose to strengthen the primary healthcare centre which is closest to the vulnerable ones.
Medical Consultant at MTN Nigeria, Dr Idorenyin Oladiran, highlighted the challenges faced by primary healthcare centres, including staffing shortages, limited space, and inefficient manual record-keeping.
She explained that MTN’s digital solutions are designed to transition centres from paper-based to electronic records, enhancing efficiency, data security, and seamless information sharing among healthcare providers.
This digitisation also facilitates telemedicine, enabling specialists in urban areas to support colleagues in remote locations.
“Digitisation will empower healthcare workers, improve clinical decision-making, and help close the digital divide,” Dr Oladiran said. She acknowledged challenges such as limited connectivity and data privacy concerns but emphasised the importance of investing in infrastructure and training to ensure inclusive digital health transformation.
Team lead, MTN Nigeria, Sunday Ngegu, noted that the company dedicates 21 days in June, yearly, to community service, reflecting its corporate social responsibility ethos. “We are doing this in good spirit, not just as a telecommunications provider but as collaborators committed to the well-being of our communities,” he said.
Medical Official of Ikoyi/Obalende Local Council Development Area, Dr Akintayo Akintoba Adebayo, expressed profound admiration for the recent donation by MTN Nigeria to local healthcare centres, describing himself as “speechless” at the positive developments unfolding daily in the area.
He highlighted that Ikoyi/Obalende LCDA boasts two functional healthcare centres and emphasised the unpredictable nature of health issues, which require readily available resources for effective response.
Reflecting on the donated items, Dr Akintoba, who is also the Director of Health Planning, Research and Statistics for Lagos State Health District III, noted that most were essential medical supplies poised to significantly enhance healthcare delivery in the local government.
He also referenced Lagos State’s Health Information Platform, an initiative aimed at digitising healthcare processes across the state, including primary healthcare centres.
Dr Akintoba observed a shift in perception regarding technology in healthcare, stating that while computers were once considered unnecessary in primary centres, they are now recognised globally as vital, given that primary healthcare is the cornerstone of effective medical service.
Praising MTN Nigeria’s staff for their exemplary contribution, he called for collective responsibility, urging individuals to assess their environments and contribute meaningfully to societal improvement, saying government alone cannot do it all.
He always underscored the universal need for healthcare. Whether for health promotion or sustaining wellbeing, and commended MTN Nigeria’s longstanding impact, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Akintoba concluded by emphasising the importance of unity in addressing Nigeria’s critical health challenges, affirming that making a positive impact is a shared purpose and that MTN Nigeria’s recent intervention exemplifies this commitment.
