..Says failure to adapt may lead to job loss

By Daniel Abia, P/Harcourt

Prof Mark Okeji, of Radiography and Radiological sciences from the University of Nsuka has warned healthcare professionals against ignoring artificial intelligence, insisting that those who fail to acquire the skills to use the technology risk losing their jobs.

Okeji gave the warning while delivering the induction lecture at the joint induction and oath-taking ceremony for graduates of Medical Laboratory Science, Nursing Science, and Radiography and Radiation Science at PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Iriebe, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The varsity Don said artificial intelligence would revolutionise healthcare delivery by accelerating diagnosis, improving patient monitoring and supporting clinical decisions, stressing that the technology was designed to enhance, rather than simply replace, human expertise.

“AI has not come to replace you. It has come to help you. It makes the job simpler and makes our patients feel better. So, don’t be afraid of it. But if you’re not there to understand AI, AI will take over from you,” he said.

He explained that AI-powered diagnostic systems could analyse medical samples, interpret medical images and process large volumes of patient information within seconds, reducing the time required for investigations and enabling faster clinical decisions.

According to him, AI is already being deployed in medical diagnostics, telemedicine, hospital administration, clinical decision-making and remote patient monitoring.

He added that wearable devices, including smartwatches, could monitor vital health indicators such as heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels and sleep patterns, providing information that would help healthcare professionals identify potential problems early.

Okeji also highlighted the technology’s potential to strengthen public health surveillance through the analysis of disease patterns, prediction of outbreaks and improved deployment of medical personnel and resources to areas with urgent healthcare needs.

He however identified fragmented health data, privacy concerns, algorithmic bias and inadequate trust among some healthcare professionals as challenges that must be addressed to ensure the responsible use of AI in healthcare.

He called for stronger ethical safeguards and appropriate regulation, urging healthcare institutions and practitioners to develop the competence required to harness the technology effectively.

“AI is transforming healthcare today. Tomorrow, it will redefine it. The future is intelligent, connected and very human-centred,” he said.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Prof Smith Jaja, said the 28 inductees had undergone rigorous academic and clinical training, expressing confidence in their preparedness to contribute to the healthcare sector.

“We are proud to inform everyone that these graduates have gone through the best training anybody in their respective professions can receive,” Jaja said.

Prof Jaja urged the graduates to uphold professional ethics and remain faithful to the oaths they had taken, describing the ceremony as a significant milestone for the university, the inductees and their families.

Representing the Pro-Chancellor, Dr Peter Odili, former Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Prof Adaeze Oreh, congratulated the graduates and stressed the importance of collaboration among nurses, medical laboratory scientists and radiographers in delivering safe, effective and patient-centred healthcare.

She described medical laboratory scientists as the “detectives of medicine,” nurses as the “heart and backbone of patient care,” and radiographers as the “eyes of medicine,” noting that each profession played a critical role in improving patient outcomes.

Oreh also disclosed that the university’s governing board had approved automatic employment after internship for the best graduating students from the three departments.

She urged the inductees to take their internship seriously, describing the period as essential to their transition into fully credentialed and licensed professionals.

In his remarks, the Acting Dean of the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Dr Clement Nyenke, said the induction marked more than the completion of academic programmes, describing it as the beginning of a lifelong commitment to patients, professional colleagues and society.