Geoinformatics in Infectious Disease Control: Challenges and the Way Forward in Nigeria

Abstract

The paper reviewed the relevance of Geoinformatics in infectious disease control, challenges and the way forward in Nigeria, in the context of the emerging technologies of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) especially
Geoinformatics Techniques. It expounded on the applications of  Geoinformatics in infectious disease control. This emphasized the need to adopt Geoinformatics Techniques to ensure sustainable development in the public health sector thereby improving on the health status of the Nigerian populace. The challenges in this wise were low level of technological development, inconsistency and inept implementation of government policies, low level of investment in the health sector,  inadequate healthcare facilities, high cost of acquisition of relevant space
technology, and low level of literacy. To surmount these constraints, a number of measures were suggested. Infectious diseases have assumed alarming proportions largely because the rate of development in the public
health sector has not been commensurate with that of population. This has adverse implications for public health sector development, since the bulk of infectious disease control takes place under traditional system, with high
dependence on Native medicine. To address these problems, it has become imperative to adopt Geoinformatics Techniques which enable the acquisition of relevant and timely data, and information on infectious disease control. GIS have opened newer possibility of improving on the public health status as it offers an accelerated early detection and response to infectious disease control.

Keywords: Geoinformatics, infectious disease, challenges, Nigeria.