Theoretical Framework for Tele-Veterinary Surgical Consultation and Remote Radiographic Diagnosis in Underserved Nigerian Rural Communities

Access to specialist veterinary surgical expertise and diagnostic radiology is critically limited in rural communities across Nigeria's geopolitical zones, where geographic distance, infrastructure deficits, and shortage of qualified professionals create major service gaps. This doctoral study develops and theoretically grounds a framework for tele-veterinary surgical consultation and remote radiographic diagnosis as a scalable solution to specialist service inequity in underserved Nigerian rural communities. Using a design science research approach, the study synthesizes findings from a situational needs analysis across 72 rural veterinary service areas in six states representing all geopolitical zones, systematic review of 68 global tele-veterinary implementation studies published between 2019 and 2024, and iterative stakeholder co-design workshops with 53 veterinary practitioners, technology specialists, and rural livestock farmers. The resulting Tele-Veterinary Surgical Access Framework incorporates four pillars: mobile image acquisition and transmission protocols, remote radiographic image annotation platforms, asynchronous specialist consultation pathways, and community health worker integration for clinical follow-up. A pilot implementation in three rural local government areas in Borno, Edo, and Oyo States demonstrated feasibility, with 84% of remotely assessed radiographic cases receiving a specialist interpretation within 24 hours. Diagnostic concordance between remote and subsequent in-person specialist assessments was 79%. This original theoretical and applied contribution to the Nigerian veterinary literature advocates for tele-veterinary policy integration in the National Livestock Transformation Plan and establishes a replicable framework for expanding surgical specialist access across underserved rural Nigeria. Keywords: tele-veterinary, remote radiology, surgical consultation, rural Nigeria, health equity.