In Nigeria, there is verifiable evidence of apathy towards healthcare and medical consultation for a number of reasons. Quite a number of people prefer to self-medicate and consult roadside chemists or traditional herbalists rather than consult qualified Physicians.
There is a decrease in Preventive Healthcare due to the fact that a majority of Nigerians do not go to the hosputal unless they are critically ill, dying or almost dead. DoctorDial is an app built to give people control over their health and afford them access to healthcare on their own terms without necessarily having to go to a hospital.
In Urban cities like Lagos, Nigeria, the population density and attending social issues like traffic gridlock etc. has a huge impact on healthcare delivery and accesibility. DoctorDial allows the patient to have access to confidential Doctor consultation from a remote location via her smartphone, tablets or a personal computer. There is also a direct Phone number access that goes through the DoctorDial call center and puts a patient in touch with an in-house doctor as a first respondent in the case of an emergency.
In rural areas, DoctorDial teems up with Community Health Workers and gives access to Doctors who are located in the Urban or Peri-Urban areas. This allows the CHW to act as na intermediary between the rural dweller and the qualified Medical practitcioner in the city. This arrangement provides a critical support to Primary Healthcare Centres and enables them to do more than they would normally be able to accommodate with the present situation.