By Joseph Erunke

ABUJA –THE federal government has identified oral cancers as the leading cause of cancer related deaths in the country as Nigeria is reported to have 1146 new cases with an estimated 764 mortality yearly.

Minister of Health,Dr Osagie Ehanire, who said this on Saturday, at a One-day training on the use of artificial intelligence in the early detection of oral cancers and premalignant disorders, organised by The Cleft and Facial Deformity Foundation, attributed the ugly development to what it called ‘late reporting to the hospital and the inability of healthcare workers to detect the lesion and refer appropriately.”

The training organised in collaboration with the University of Hong Kong, saw dental professionals trained on the use of artificial intelligence in the early detection of oral cancers and premalignant disorders.

Ehanire, speaking at the event through his ministry’s Director of the Dentistry Division, Dr Gloria Uzoigwe, regretted that,”This has caused a huge economic burden on the sufferers and their families and these could have been prevented if these lesions were detected early. “

To this end,the minister said:” Strengthening the capacity of our doctors on the use of Artificial Intelligence for early detection of oral cancers is very apt at this time because this will go a long way towards reducing the burden of oral cancers and other related diseases in Nigeria.”

He said:” Oral Health as you are aware, means more than healthy teeth and the absence of disease, it is the well-being of the oral cavity including the dentition and its supporting structures. It involves the ability of individual to carry out essential functions such as eating and speaking while being able to contribute fully to society.

” Oral disease has a significant impact on the health and well of affected individuals because they cause pain, increase morbidity and mortality and result in lost school hours and reduced socio—economic activities.

“According to reports by Pan African Medical Journal, the burden of oral cancers in Nigeria has been reported to be 1146 new cases with an estimated mortality of 764 annually.

“Oral cancers remain a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Nigeria, this is due to late reporting to the hospital, the inability of healthcare workers to detect the lesion and refer appropriately.

“This has caused a huge economic burden on the sufferers and their families and these could have been prevented if these lesions were detected early.

“Strengthening the capacity of our Doctors on the use of Artificial Intelligence for early detection of Oral cancers is very apt at this time because this will go a long way towards reducing the burden of oral cancers and other related diseases in Nigeria. “

Noting that the local communities are severely underserved in terms of oral health
personnel, the minister said “Federal Ministry of Health has started training community health workers on prevention, early detection and prompt referral of oral diseases. “

“A pilot has been done in Nassarawa State and we are having encouraging feedback, this will be stepped down to other communities and states. We are working towards integrating Basic Package of oral Care within the Primary Health Centre framework this will aid in preventing, early detection and prompt referral of oral health diseases,”he added.

He said the ,”Federal Ministry of Health welcomes collaboration with dental health workers, Non-governmental organizations, international and national institutions in offering preventive, curative and surgical services at all levels of health care delivery in Nigeria, through innovations and training of health care professionals in the use of recent approaches, like the use of artificial Intelligence in the early detection of oral cancers and premalignant lesions in order to prevent untimely death from preventable diseases.”

Speaking at the event,a consultant Maxillofacial Surgeon and Executive Director, Cleft and Facial Deformity Foundation, Abuja, Dr Seidu Bello,noted that Artificial Intelligence, AI was in the rudimentary stage in the Nigeria.

According to him,Artificial Intelligence has been explored in different aspects of medicine, as well as other aspects of science.

He said:“We want to use artificial intelligence to detect the human mind, and I’m sure you see some of this in social media. So if you ask what level we are now, I think I can say we are close to zero level.”