Following the partnership between Interswitch Group and the Government of Lagos state in Nigeria, to introduce the Lagos Smart Health Information Platform (LagosSHIP), Interswitch has selected Patients Know Best (PKB) as a key partner to provide a Single Patient Record (SPR) system for the government of the state.
This pivotal contract will enable the government to host health records for over 20 million citizens in the state, marking a significant step forward for the healthcare infrastructure of one of the nation’s most populated states.
Interswitch Group is a leading African technology company focused on creating solutions that enable individuals and communities to prosper across Africa. As the primary partner for the state’s single patient record system, it is leading the charge in revolutionizing the nation's healthcare infrastructure.
PKB's Single Patient Record solution will deliver the records and APIs for Interswitch’s Digital Health Platform (DHP) and will also deliver world-class records to Lagos State’s healthcare sector through its standards-based Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) infrastructure.
The collaboration underscores PKB's expertise in partnering with governments globally to deliver tailored solutions that meet national health objectives. Integral to the programme will be close integration with Lagos State’s existing electronic medical records systems, ensuring all patient data is hosted securely, centrally and locally, in compliance with Nigeria’s sovereign data requirements.
LagosSHIP is set to leapfrog existing healthcare infrastructure limitations by adopting PKB's advanced, patient-centric architecture from the outset. This architecture has been successfully implemented at a regional UK level and is designed to empower patients and connect healthcare providers seamlessly.
PKB’s comprehensive platform uniquely combines robust backend data management with a full suite of read-write Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) APIs. Its backend integrates data from diverse sources—including public and private healthcare providers, personal devices, and patient-contributed information—into a single, unified health record. It provides robust, scalable, standards-based, read-write FHIR APIs. In addition, PKB provides a patient-facing intuitive user interface that empowers patients with tools for active engagement, such as questionnaires, collaborative care planning, symptom tracking, and secure messaging. Notably, the initial phase of the LagosSHIP project will focus on establishing the foundational data hosting infrastructure.
To meet the growing demand from national governments, PKB has invested significantly in expanding its technical architecture. The company has created a versatile system that decouples services from traditional data centers, enabling flexible, in-country hosting. This approach is designed to work globally, allowing PKB to meet the specific data requirements of any nation, a capability now being implemented in Nigeria.
Olufemi Olapegba, Managing Director, Digital Health Platforms at Interswitch, commented:
"Interswitch’s collaboration with PKB underlines our broader commitment to driving digital transformation across critical sectors in Nigeria, including healthcare. By leveraging cutting-edge technology to streamline healthcare information exchange, we are building an integrated platform that enhances service delivery, improves patient outcomes, and redefines healthcare access in Nigeria and beyond.”
Mohammad Al Abaydli, CEO and Founder, Patients Know Best said,
"We are incredibly proud to partner with Interswitch on this transformative project for Nigeria. We have a long track record partnering for government on innovations such as the NHS App in England, NHS Wales App in Wales and PGOs in the Netherlands. Over the past 17 years, the patient-centric approach is delivering better patient care in more and more health economies. Nigeria's commitment to leapfrogging to a modern, patient-focused system aligns perfectly with PKB's mission. We are seeing a clear global shift towards investing in Single Patient Record systems, with significant interest from many major markets."
