Overview of satellite communications and its applications in telemedicine for the underserved in Nigeria: a case study

More than 2000 satellites currently relay communications signals to and fro various locations across the globe for Internet, Broadcasting, Telephony and Navigation and the number is expected to quadruple in the next few years due to the proliferation of Global N on-Geo Satellite Constellations. With the potential to connect people separated by great distances, satellites are now being applied in telemedicine to make healthcare cheaper and more accessible. Nigeria has not been left behind in these efforts and has deployed the NIGCOMSAT-1R Communications satellite to provide telemedicine services to patients with health issues. Internally displaced women and children are globally the worst hit by the unavailability of healthcare services, with 87% of deaths in internally displaced person (IDP) camps resulting from preventable illnesses. This presents a clear need for the adoption of telemedicine in IDP camps to provide Digital Health Inclusion services to the vulnerable citizens. We carried out a satellite-enabled telemedicine medical outreach at New Kuchingoro IDP camp in Abuja, Nigeria. A mobile application that allowed for text, audio, and video communication was employed using internet connectivity provided by the NIGCOMSAT-1R Communications Satellite. A total of 317 patients were attended to over the course of three days, and major issues prevalent in Nigerian hospitals, such as long waiting hours, were minimized. The medical outreach experience demonstrates the advantage of satellite broadband for telemedicine projects. It also proves the urgent need for innovative solutions for healthcare delivery in underserved and unserved Nigerian communities.