
Medical experts say Nigeria’s healthcare sector is on the verge of a revolution, thanks to the increasing adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medical training and practice.
According to the experts, AI is set to transform the way medical professionals are trained and the way patients are diagnosed and treated.
They spoke on Wednesday at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) College of Medicine (CMUL) 8th Felix Oladejo Dosekun (FOD) memorial lecture.
The lecture was held under the theme: ‘Medicine Curriculum and Artificial Intelligence: The Meeting Point and Path to Follow’.
Dr Emi Membere-Otaji said that AI was already having a significant impact on medical education and practice.
Membere-Otaji is the Deputy National President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).
He noted that the integration of AI into medical training and practice was set to become more precise and expensive, and will soon become the norm.
“The intersection between the medical curriculum and artificial intelligence is now clearly obvious in the training of medical and dental professionals, as well as in the practice of medicine.
“Rather than the exception, man and machine, working together in collaboration, to enhance both medical training and practice for greater efficiency and improved outcomes,” he said.
According to him, the adoption of AI in Nigeria’s healthcare sector is expected to improve healthcare outcomes, reduce costs, and increase access to healthcare services.
He explained that AI could help medical professionals diagnose diseases more accurately and quickly, develop personalised treatment plans, and improve patient care.
To Prof. Ademola Oremosu, the Provost of UNILAG’s College of Medicine, the use of AI in medical education and practice is a welcome development.
“We are living in an age where we cannot ignore AI, and human knowledge is being transferred to machines.
“This becomes important in the medical curriculum and practice, where machines are used to get things done faster, process information that would take humans hours to get done faster,” he said.
The lecture, which was attended by medical professionals, academics, and industry experts, highlighted the importance of AI in medical education and practice.
It also emphasised the need for Nigerian medical schools to incorporate AI into their curricula, and for medical professionals to develop the skills and knowledge needed to work effectively with AI systems.
As Nigeria’s healthcare sector continues to evolve, experts said the adoption of AI was expected to play a critical role in improving healthcare outcomes and increasing access to healthcare services.
With its potential to transform medical education and practice, AI is set to revolutionise Nigeria’s healthcare sector, and improve the lives of millions of Nigerians.
Prof Folasade Ogunsola, Vice Chancellor, UNILAG, was represented at the lecture by Prof Ayodele Asenuwa.
Dr Chris Okafor, Associate Professor of Physiotherapy and Chairman, Publicity Committee of the FOD Memorial Lecture, said that the event was historic and symbolic.