PSHAN launches VIVO Health app to fix health emergency response gaps in Nigeria

Nigeria has, for too long, recorded unnecessary casualties caused by a broken health system of disconnected players. That was how Foluke Owodunni, Chief Executive of Emergency Response Africa, framed the challenge confronting Nigeria’s healthcare sector as the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria on Thursday unveiled VIVO Health, a digital platform aimed at closing longstanding gaps in emergency response and healthcare access.

Nigeria’s problem, she argued, is less about the absence of hospitals than the lack of coordination between patients, providers and emergency responders.

“We have the facilities. What we lack is coordination and the assurance that healthcare will be available for you when you need it,” Owodunni said. “The future of healthcare is not about more individual solutions. It is going to be about integration.”

That promise of integration sits at the heart of the newly launched VIVO Health, which PSHAN describes as Nigeria’s first comprehensive digital healthcare services ecosystem. The platform allows users to locate nearby verified hospitals, pharmacies and diagnostic centres, compare insurance products, access a health wallet, and use an AI-powered symptom checker that can assess urgency and direct patients to the nearest appropriate facility.

Owodunni urged the team to prioritise alignment and building trust among all the stakeholders, insisting that having such an app backed by PSHAN strategically positions it to succeed. She also called on stakeholders and health service providers to not only adopt the product, but provide the team with credible feedback on how to maximally achieve mutual value for all the players.

Accessing patient data at the tap of a button

During the product demo, the team revealed an app that addresses several key problems in the Nigerian health sector.

It begins with a Health Identification Number, which allows a patient’s medical profile and history to be easily accessed during a visit to any of the integrated facilities — a feature designed for emergencies where patients may be unconscious or unable to communicate.

For Anne Adah-Ogoh, PSHAN’s director of policy, that feature addresses a deadly gap. She recalled the case of a well-known accident victim who had the resources to pay for treatment but was unable to provide critical information after losing consciousness.

“In medicine, the golden minute is the difference between the patient who ends up dead and the one who ends up alive. That minute determines the patient who makes a full recovery and the one who ends up a vegetable,” she said in her address.

One product, many solutions

Another interesting feature the VIVO Health app presents is the MediGuide — an AI-powered assistant that allows users to enter their symptoms, answer follow-up questions, and get clear actionable recommendations about first steps to take and when to see a doctor.

The app also offers geolocation services that aid users to locate verified health service providers near them, connecting them to the closest healthcare centres in times of emergency.

With pharmacies listed on the app, users can also get verified medications, compare prices across pharmacies, and place orders to get them delivered quickly.

Speaking about this feature, Audrey Odogu, senior business development manager at eHealth Africa, said getting valid medications on the app is especially strategic at a time when concerns over fake and adulterated medicines remain widespread.

“Coming from the private sector, it is an indicator of what could be, and can help Nigerians believe that they can trust a system that was created to help them speedily access healthcare, get valid medications, get insurance and better still, get it all in one app,” she said.

A new way to respond to health emergencies

In her address, Tinuola Akinbolagbe, PSHAN’s managing director, pointed out that many Nigerian families end up confused when an emergency occurs in the middle of the night and, in the absence of a proper emergency framework, often depend on self-medication and unproven home remedies.

“This raises the question — how do we democratise access to healthcare? And the answer is the VIVO Health platform,” she said.

For a country where patients often search blindly for care while providers work in silos, VIVO Health is also a test of whether digital infrastructure can succeed where policy has often fallen short.

PSHAN says the platform is aligned with the federal government’s digital health architecture and is backed by partners including the World Health Organization, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, MTN Foundation, Emergency Response Africa, Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, the Gates Foundation and the Aliko Dangote Foundation.

Reimagining a healthcare system where you never have to fill another form

During the fireside chat on innovation, access and the new era of healthcare, Somto Ifezue, chief executive of Piggyvest, said the VIVO Health app represented an entry into a future where Nigerians can access healthcare without filling forms.

“The future of healthcare in Nigeria, for me, is one where I don’t have to fill another form,” Ifezue said. “It tends to be really frustrating when you get to the hospital, already sick and uncomfortable, and you still have to fill long forms and answer endless questions before you can see a doctor.”

He said the importance of the platform lies in bringing all health information into one place for stakeholders to access, while protecting the integrity of treatment decisions.

Chinonso Egemba, chief executive of Aproko Global, expanded on that point while moderating the fireside chat.

“They first call a family or friend who may be a paramedical,” he said of how many Nigerians react during emergencies. “Before they ever get to the doctor, they have spent heavily out of pocket from their already tight healthcare budget.”

He said an app like VIVO Health could ensure that pharmacists, lab scientists and doctors can all access a patient’s profile, see what tests have been done and what medications have already been taken.

“What VIVO Health can achieve is that everything is connected and the patient has the greatest value,” he said.

Stakeholders pledge support

The launch attracted the presence of a broad range of stakeholders and partners, including Odunayo Sanya, executive director of the MTN Foundation, who pledged support for nationwide adoption.

“I believe this app will go further to be available via USSD, translated into different Nigerian languages and move further,” Sanya said.

“Already as it is, if you have an emergency from a relative that lives states away, you can use this app to guide them to the nearest facility. This is a good starting point.”

Omowunmi Kalejaiye, FCMB regional director for Lagos, made a similar pledge.

“This is not just something to cover up in big English and keep among professionals,” she said. “It is something that will impact every Nigerian in some way, and fix the gaps of our healthcare system.”