FUNAAB Trains Health Workers on Data Protection, Medical Confidentiality

The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), through the Health Information Management (HIM) Unit of the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), in collaboration with the Royal Statistical Society (RSS), Nigeria Local Group, has trained health workers and other stakeholders on data protection and medical confidentiality.

The maiden One-Day Internal Training Workshop, held on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at the Postgraduate School Auditorium, was themed “Strengthening Healthcare Data Protection for Better Patient Health Outcomes: A Shared Responsibility in the University System.”

The workshop brought together staff of the DHS, Directorate of Information and Communication Technology Services (DICTS), members of the RSS Nigeria Local Group and other health-related stakeholders.

Declaring the workshop open, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Olusegun Idowu, stressed the need for stronger measures to protect patients’ health information.

He noted that data privacy and confidentiality were essential to building trust and improving healthcare outcomes.

Prof. Kehinde observed that the increasing digital transformation of healthcare had made information one of the sector’s most valuable assets, particularly sensitive patient data.

He described data protection as a shared responsibility involving healthcare workers, records managers, academics, researchers and all personnel who handle health-related information. He therefore urged participants to maximise the practical knowledge provided during the training.

In his remarks, the Country Representative, RSS Nigeria Local Group, Prof. Olaniyi Olayiwola, advocated stronger data protection and confidentiality practices across the University system.

He described medical data protection as a collective responsibility across Departments, Colleges and leadership levels, adding that the training was designed to strengthen staff capacity and promote responsible data governance.

The Ag. Director, DHS, Dr. Oluseyi Anjorin, urged health workers to prioritise accurate data management and strict confidentiality in the discharge of their duties.

He stressed that reliable health data were critical to planning, decision-making and service delivery, while cautioning personnel against unauthorised access to or manipulation of patients’ records.

Earlier, the Head, Health Information Management Unit and Training Organiser, Mr. Muhammod-Rabiu Salihu, said the workshop was organised to promote continuous training and retraining of health professionals in line with global medico-legal principles.

He identified disciplinary minimalism, fitness to practise, public protection and social contract as key principles underpinning the training, particularly as the University transitions from manual to electronic medical records.

Delivering the first keynote lecture, titled “Improving Medical Confidentiality for Better Outcomes: A Shared Responsibility in University System,” Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, Aro, Abeokuta, Dr. Yesir Adeyemi, emphasised the importance of continuous professional development and responsible management of health information.

He described confidentiality as both a legal and ethical obligation, noting that while patients have a right to privacy, disclosure may be permitted where legally authorised, provided that only relevant information is released.

The second keynote speaker, Head, IT Operations and Information Security, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Dr. Yinka Fakunle, represented by the Manager, IT Operations, IITA, Mr. Amakor John, called for stronger cybersecurity and privacy practices in healthcare institutions.

He cautioned against careless transmission of medical information through platforms such as WhatsApp and telephone conversations, while urging institutions to identify and secure points where health data are generated, stored, transmitted and accessed.

The workshop equipped participants with practical knowledge on data protection, medical confidentiality, cybersecurity and responsible health information management.