By Damiete Braide
Medical Experts have called on the Federal Government to support creating more awareness to establish Artificial Intelligence (AI) to strengthen health care delivery in Nigeria.
They made this call during the 8th Biennial Faculty Day and Scientific Conference of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, with the theme: *”Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Medicine and Health care”* held on Tuesday, September 26th 2023 in Lagos, where. stakeholders gathered to discuss the future of clinical sciences in the country.
The Vice Chancellor, LASU, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello mni, NPOM, while speaking at the event, appreciated the efforts and support of the college as she marks 2 years in office.
She highlighted the significance of the transformative potential of the faculty day theme – Artificial Intelligence – saying “we must leverage on AI and find ways to harness its potential to improve the overall deficiency of medical services and practices”.
The Provost, Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Professor Abiodun Adewuya, in his address, stated that AI is achievable in Nigeria and it is about time the Federal Government encourages its use.
He said, Artificial Intelligence is the way to go in the wake of dearth of medical personnel in the country and the government should support it to close the gap in the face of increased consultations in medical facilities in Nigeria.
According to him, “AI is there. The question is whether we are ready for it. Even if we are not ready for it, AI is ready for us.
“Adaptation of AI to our environment and using it in our different sectors of health care would help us improve, especially now that many of our doctors have left and the remaining ones are overworked.
“If machines can help us make half of the decisions and only the critical ones are left to the doctors, it makes our lives easier,” he said.
Furthermore, he encouraged that there be a replan and a framework for Nigeria to develop AI, especially for the health sector.
The don suggested that training should start from the educational sector in the training of doctors, formulating AI favourable healthcare policies and incorporating AI into delivery of services.
The Dean, Faculty Of Clinical Sciences, LASUCOM, Professor Kikelomo Wright said that taking AI to the next level, it can be used for improved diagnosis, used to conduct some surgeries and so much more.
“The opportunities available for the use of AI in the context of health care can only be imagined,” she said.
She advocated that healthcare workers, especially in the area of high-tech use in the medical and healthcare space need a lot of training and also have availability of these equipment as well as maintenance and that the training process should be continuous.
“Of course, everything has its downsides, but we can maximize the use in terms of the benefits to augment health human expertise and make life easier for health care experts,” she added.
The guest lecturer, former Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH), Professor Victor Adetiloye said that AI needs to be known and accepted in all sectors in Nigeria, especially the healthcare sector.
He expounded that AI is a game changing innovation that will help solve problems humans can not solve in both its primary and fundamental goals.
The astute clinical diagnostic Radiologist said AI can be used in the administrative which include electronic health records, virtual assistance and Chatbots, health research and data analysis, predictive analysis, pharmacy – which include drug discovery and development, drug adherence and compliance and clinical sectors which include personalised medicine, patient monitoring wearable devices, AI-enabled robot assisted surgery, AI-enabled robot doctors, amidst others as it will be in collaboration with health care professionals.
Also, he mentioned that machine learning, natural learning processes, robotics, and expert systems will need AI assistance.
In his words, he said that one of the ways by which AI can be implemented in Nigeria, is for more awareness to be made on the benefits that AI brings to the medical world.
About the fear of many Nigerians and the use of AI, he said that there are much more benefits than the negatives, and since human beings are the ones behind AI, it can be tamed. “However, there is a need for infrastructural enablement, power supply, robust ICT, and network facilities,” he said, mentioning these things are needed for AI to be effective in Nigeria.
In attendance at the lecture were the Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello represented by the Vice Chancellor, Administration, Professor Adenike Boyo
the Provost LASUCOM, Professor Abiodun Adewuya; the Dean, Faculty Of Clinical Sciences, Professor Kikelomo Wright; the Chief Medical Director, LASUTH, Professor Adetokunbo Fabanwo; and many other professionals in the health sector.
