Brain drain worsens, LASUCOM implores FG on commitment to develop AI support in health sector
…Says AI would ease burden on few remaining doctors
By Moses Adeniyi
Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) is seeking Federal Government’s commitment to create more awareness and establish a welcoming environment for development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as support mechanism to strengthen the health sector in Nigeria.
According to the College, the necessity for AI in health care delivery has become pressing as the phenomenon of brain drain in the Country is worsening with more medical doctors fleeing the Country for greener pastures abroad, while leaving the fewer health professionals in the Country burdened with too much work load.
The College made the call at the heels of 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 Healthcare” held on Tuesday in Lagos, where stakeholders gathered to discuss the future of clinical sciences in the Country.
It mentioned AI would further ease the burden on the fewer health professionals left behind in the Country as the brain drain challenges worsen.
The Provost, LASUCOM, Professor A. O. Adewuya in his words with news men made mention that AI is achievable in Nigeria “if we put our minds to it.”
“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 health care policies and incorporating AI into delivery of services.
The Dean, Faculty Of Clinical Sciences, LASUCOM, Professor K. O. 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 maximise the use in terms of the benefits to augment health human expertise and make life easier for health care experts,” she added.
Speaking, health intellectuals who explored the possibilities of AI in healthcare delivery, agreed the Federal Government must align with the fledging development to adopt the benefits into the health system in the Country.
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 health care sector.
He expounded that AI is a game changing Innovation which will help solve problems humans can not solve in both it’s primary and fundamental goals.
According to the astute clinical diagnostic Radiologist, 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 experts systems will need AI assistance.
In his words with journalists, 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.
He mentioned that there are already some AI elements in the country which included smartphones and wristwatches that could take blood pressure, pulse and the likes.
Adetiloye also mentioned that in some well established hospitals, AI has been put into good use.
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 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 A.O Adewuya; the Dean, Faculty Of Clinical Sciences, Professor K.O Wright; the Chief Medical Director, LASUTH, Professor Adetokunbo O. Fabanwo; and many other professionals in the health sector.
Recall the Faculty of Dentistry, LASUCOM had last week during the 4th Biennial Faculty Day Lecture at the College, in Ikeja Lagos, probed into the future of dentistry profession in Nigeria, saying AI is the way forward.
At the lecture themed “Artificial Intelligence: Current Application and Future Use in Dentistry,” experts dissected the diversified approaches toward AI in the Dentistry profession.
The keynote speaker, Coordinator, New HIV Vaccine and Microbiade Advocacy Society and Executive Director of the Central Office of Research, Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Morenike Oluwatoyin Folayan had said, “this is the dawn of a new era, driven by AI advancements,” emphasising the benefits it will bring to current application and future use in Dentistry.
According to her, AI will enhance diagnostic capacity, make personalised treatment possible, make virtual simulation and training possible.
She added that with AI’s predictive analysis using databases of patients, care will be more personalised.
“AI gives instant feedbacks, aims to improve professional’s competence, adapt educational curriculum and do so much more.
“AI is the future, it’s where we are going,” she said, stating “it is a game changer for students, teachers and patients alike.”
The Head of Department, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Professor Olalekan Gbotolorun traced the root causes of migration of dentists in Nigeria to other countries to macro reasons which include insecurity, crisis in the educational sector, underfunding of the health system, global salary structure among others; meso reasons such as renumeration, career prospects, job satisfaction among others; and micro reasons such as family ties, better quality of life, advancing age, among others.
He explained that the most important drivers of migration for health workers were mostly on meso level.
“These have caused losses and the health sector is bearing the consequences,” he said.
He implored that renumeration must be addressed, there should be minimisation of medical tourism by government officials in particular and the country at large, appropriate pricing of medical education and provision of scholarship for those willing to receive same with certain caveat including making them sign a bond to stay for some years after studies.
According to the Chairman, Schubbs Dental Clinics Limited, Dr Olabode Karunwi, Dentistry can survive in Nigeria despite migration of Dentists.
He said this only can be made possible when the emigration push factors are addressed.
He made it known that in early 2022, over 100 medical consultants departed from 17 Nigerian tertiary institutions.
“Over the preceeding two years, more Nigerian dentists are migrating abroad compared to non-Nigerians coming in,” he said.
He mentioned that lack of honesty and transparency in the Nigerian Health System has contributed to its setback.
He encouraged the Government to address the underlying reasons that drive dentists to leave the Country.
He added that organised structure, universal health coverage, implementation of health insurance policies, access to loans, affordable housing, proper statistics and data, among others, will encourage health practitioners to remain in the Country.
