Dr. Mariette Obianozie-Amadi, a distinguished physician has shed light on how they developed and successfully deployed telemedicine services across 326 primary healthcare centers in all 21 local government areas of Anambra State,a groundbreaking medical revolution and transformative healthcare initiative that is silently transforming access to quality healthcare in rural communities and quietly reshaping the rural medical landscape in Nigeria at large.
In an exclusive interview with this reporter, Dr. Obianozie-Amadi, who holds a PhD and MBA in Healthcare Management, narrated a deeply personal and inspiring story behind her passion for rural medicine, and why she chose to pursue a cause many others considered either too complex or unsustainable. This deeply personal backstory, she said, inspired her journey into medicine and eventually birthed 24Telemed.
According to her, the journey did not just begin in a hospital or boardroom, but began with a family tragedy. She stated that the death of her mother was a pivotal moment in her life.
Although she went on to become a trained medical doctor with diverse experience in clinical practice and healthcare management, she said that the COVID-19 pandemic further ignited her decision to tackle one of Nigeria’s most glaring healthcare challenges, which is access to quality healthcare in rural communities.
This realization, combined with her growing interest in telemedicine, gave birth to 24Telemed,a social enterprise focused on deploying and managing telemedicine programs to bridge medical gap in hard-to-reach rural communities.
Unlike urban-focused models, 24Telemed directs its skills toward communities that are often off the grid both figuratively and literally.
In September 2022, in partnership with the Anambra state ministry of Health, a centralized tele hub was launched by his excellency Governor Soludo which marked the beginning of 24Telemed foot print in the state. By January 2025 Anambra state telemedicine service was deployed in 326 primary healthcare centers across the state, ensuring that each local government area was covered.
She further stated that the deployment wasn’t simply about installing devices or apps, but far beyond that, as it involved setting up full-scale, well-tailored, context-specific, and community-friendly telemedicine services that enable rural dwellers and patients in hard-to-reach areas to consult specialist doctors and access specialist medical services remotely via local health workers, without having to travel miles away to the urban cities or spend money they don’t have.
When asked how her team overcame obstacles associated with rural health innovation in Nigeria, such as poor infrastructure, lack of digital literacy, and resistance from local staff, Dr. Obianozie-Amadi mentioned that “ resilience, tenacity, strategy, stakeholder engagement, and adaptability.”
She also acknowledged the active support of the Anambra State Ministry of Health, especially during the implementation and deployment phase, and thanked the ministry of health in making the project a success.
Looking ahead, she revealed that 24Telemed’s vision is to expand to other rural areas in Nigeria and ensuring that a child in any rural area can connect with a doctor just like a child in Victoria Island.
Dr. Obianozie-Amadi passionately called for more investment in rural telemedicine, especially from development partners, philanthropists, and governments.
“Telemedicine is a necessity, especially in hard-to-reach rural communities where people have no other medical option. If we really want to solve the medical access crisis, we have to scale innovations like this.
With telemedicine service now operational in every part of Anambra State, the narrative of healthcare access in rural communities is gradually shifting from despair to hope, from distance to connection, and from avoidable deaths to affordable care,bringing quality healthcare to the doorstep of the rural population.
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