The Chief Executive Officer of MedServe, Dr. Tolulope Adewole, has warned Nigerians against relying on artificial intelligence tools for medical diagnosis, insisting that while AI is transforming healthcare, it should never replace consultations with qualified medical professionals
Speaking at the Africa Technology Expo held in Lagos on Friday, Adewole said patients should embrace AI as a support tool but continue to seek care from doctors, particularly those who understand how to use emerging
Addressing where the line should be drawn with artificial intelligence, Adewole argued that AI should be viewed as an enabler for healthcare workers rather than a threat to their jobs
He likened concerns about AI replacing doctors to fears that accompanied the arrival of computers in offices decades ago
“If you threaten a man’s job, if you tell him this will make your life easier, when computers came, secretaries job were threatened, but they didn’t take secretary jobs eventually. The doctors that is threatened is one not willing to move with the times. Doctors need to see it as an enabler.”
According to him, doctors who embrace AI will become more efficient, spend less time on paperwork and ultimately attend to more patients
“The doctor who is afraid is the one who will miss out. The one who is bold, and ready to move on with AI, and does not have to go through lots of papers, save time, which do you think will be able to attend to more patients?” he said
He maintained that human doctors remain indispensable because AI platforms themselves acknowledge they are not accountable for medical outcomes
“Go to the doctor who is adept at the tools. Go see your doctor and diagnose. If you go to these AI apps, there is caveat where they say they are not responsible for what happens to you. So we still need a physical doctor.”
Beyond AI, Adewole identified poor infrastructure as the biggest obstacle to healthcare delivery in Africa, describing unreliable electricity as the sector’s greatest challenge
“The biggest challenge in Africa healthcare sector is power,” he said
He explained that three elements are essential for a functional healthcare system—infrastructure, technology and human capital—adding that while the shortage of healthcare workers is a global problem, technology can help bridge the gap
According to him, digital tools allow patient data to be stored securely, improve efficiency and reduce the cost of healthcare delivery
Adewole also lamented that many Africans are not diagnosed early enough, suggesting that AI could become a foundational layer of Africa’s healthcare infrastructure if properly deployed
Despite the challenges, he expressed optimism that Africa could narrow the healthcare gap with the world’s leading innovation hubs over the next decade.”In 10 years, I expect to find is no gap, in what can be done here and what can be done in Silicon Valley,” he said
