The Lagos State Government has called on healthcare leaders to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool to transform service delivery and prepare for the future of medical innovation.
Speaking at a two-day management retreat hosted by the Lagos State College of Health Technology (LASCOHT), the Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr. Alex Alake, emphasized the urgency of adopting AI in healthcare. Represented by Mrs. Gbemisola Kayode-Bolarinwa, Alake challenged stakeholders to approach AI with curiosity and confidence.
“Don’t fear AI. Befriend it, learn it, challenge it,” Alake said. “Every time someone says AI is going to take our jobs, smile and reply: only if we let it.”
He said the future of healthcare would be shaped by those bold enough to adopt innovation, highlighting LASCOHT’s opportunity to produce AI-ready health professionals who can close gaps in diagnostics, treatment, and access, especially in underserved areas.
Alake listed real-world applications of AI already transforming healthcare globally from AI-powered diagnostics and robotic rehabilitation to telemedicine platforms and disease tracking tools.
The retreat, themed “Preparing the Allied Healthcare Workforce for an AI-Driven Future,” drew industry experts and academics who discussed how Nigeria’s healthcare education must evolve.
Keynote speaker Dr. Kolawole Godonu, Director at the Joint Universities Preliminary Examination Board, outlined five key strategies: curriculum re-engineering, faculty training, simulation-based learning, data-driven decision-making, and industry-academic collaboration.
Godonu also cautioned that AI’s adoption must be guided by ethical considerations, including fairness, privacy, and inclusivity. He urged institutions to embed techno-ethics into training to ensure future health professionals can use AI responsibly.
Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mr. Tolani Akibu, revealed ongoing plans to upgrade LASCOHT and possibly elevate it to polytechnic status.
LASCOHT Provost, Prof. Raheem Akewushola, described the retreat as timely, stating that AI is already reshaping healthcare and that the college must ensure its graduates are equipped to thrive in a tech-driven world.
He also highlighted major achievements in the past year, including clearing academic result backlogs, admitting over 800 new students, setting up a digital conference room and a fully equipped college library, and signing MOUs with key state health bodies to enhance student training and career development.
The provost also announced the launch of a new college clinic and a digital lecture supervision system—both aimed at aligning the institution with global best practices.