At about 11 p.m. on a Lagos Island highway, Ibukun Tunde-Oni, a medical doctor, was involved in an accident that would expose the fragility of emergency healthcare in Nigeria.

Despite being a doctor, he waited by the roadside for about three hours before an ambulance arrived. By then, it was about 2 a.m. and the ambulance drivers asked him where they should take him.

Mr Tunde-Oni had suffered a cracked skull and urgently needed imaging. The accident also claimed the life of someone close to him.

The experience, he said, reinforced his decision to develop technology that could help Nigerians find emergency care when they need it most.

Mr Tunde-Oni, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of EightMedical, shared the experience on Saturday at MedVerge, a health and technology event organised by HelpMum, Dobic Health and SmartMRS at the Radisson Blu, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The event brought together health professionals, technology innovators and development actors to examine how digital tools and artificial intelligence (AI) can address some of Nigeria’s persistent healthcare challenges.

Health innovators push AI for better access

Mr Tunde-Oni said the emergency he experienced reflected a wider problem, noting that “nine in 10 people” lack access to urgent care.

He said emergencies often leave families unsure about which hospital to visit, who to call or what to do, particularly at night when access to appropriate services can become more difficult.

“Does anyone know any hospital that can do a computed tomography (CT) scan at 2 midnight, in an emergency situation? Does anyone know where to get an ambulance on the island if an emergency situation comes up?” he asked, as the hall fell silent.

According to him, his experience convinced him that technology could help patients identify appropriate facilities and access emergency services more efficiently.

The Eight Medical solution uses AI to help users search for healthcare services, identify appropriate hospitals and request ambulance services. The system is also designed to support people in different locations and languages, including users in rural communities.

Mr Tunde-Oni’s experience was one of several human stories behind the technologies presented at MedVerge, where speakers repeatedly stressed that innovation must respond to real problems rather than simply follow technology trends.