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African ICT Foundation Calls for Adoption of Artificial Intelligence in the Continent’s Healthcare Challenges
The African ICT Foundation (AFICTF) has advocated that artificial learning and machine language will change the future by improving treatment design, fine tuning diagnosis and improving accuracy and speed of detection, improving clinical administration, patient experience and general human life.
The Foundation made its position known in a paper presented at the annual seminar of the Lagos University Medical Society, hosted by the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital with the theme: Artificial Intelligence in Health designed to inform the members of the profession about latest technology advance in health care.
A member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, Mr. Oludare Akinbo who spoke on the topic: ‘AI in Medical Practice-Future of Healthcare’ noted that media attention has largely centred on the ability of AI/ML to transform how clinical care is delivered through better diagnostics and treatments.
According to him, IBM’s Watson supercomputer is still the best-known appliance for Machine Learning adding that Watson is mainly used in the medical and financial sectors.
He disclosed that there are 121 digital health companies leveraging AI/ML and have raised a total of $2.7B with 206 deals from 2011 through 2017, which just over 10% of all venture dollars invested in digital health during that period.
He said also that funding for AI/ML companies peaked in 2016 at $776.4M representing nearly one-third of total funding to AI/ML companies since 2011.
Quoting a 2016 report from CB Insights, Akinbo said that about 86% of healthcare provider organisations, life science companies, and technology vendors to healthcare are using artificial intelligence technology saying that by 2020, these organisations will spend an average of $54 million on artificial intelligence projects.
Akinbo stated further that many AI technologies are cropping up to help people streamline administrative and clinical health care processes.
“Various professionals and reports predict that artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) will diagnose disease better and earlier, treat illness more precisely, and engage patients more efficiently than today’s healthcare system does. On top of this, AI/ML is expected to streamline business operations and restore sanity (and humanity) to the clinician experience”, he said.
He also noted that the major technology giants have ventured into healthcare and thus already changing the future of healthcare and promising more radical changes for the better in the nearest future.
“I will say you can’t liken this to a rolling stone that gathers no moss, but a raging powerful avalanche that won’t stop for anything in it’s path”, Akinbo stated.
On why the health care providers need to embrace technology, particularly, machine learning, Akinbo stressed: “machine learning undoubtedly helps people to work more creatively and efficiently. Basically, you too can delegate quite complex or monotonous work to the computer through Machine Learning-starting with scanning, saving and filing paper documents such as invoices up to organizing and editing images.”
He noted that the Foundation supports initiative that deploys ICT solve healthcare problems in Africa, listing the 10 common ways AI is changing healthcare now and will in the future to include: Managing Medical Records and Other Data, Doing Repetitive Jobs, Treatment Design, Digital Consultation Apps, Virtual Nurses, Medication Management, Drug Creation, Precision Medicine, Health Monitoring and Healthcare System Analysis.
Telecommunications services provider, Globacom, has admonished Nigerian workers to reflect on more ways of contributing further to the growth of the country.
In a solidarity message on the occasion of the 2024 International Workers’ Day, the company noted that Nigerian workers were resilient in spite of the challenges they encounter in the course of discharging their duties.
The telecommunications giant further noted that the story of Nigeria cannot be adequately chronicled without acknowledging the immense contributions of workers, both in the public and private sectors.
The day is observed on May 1 yearly in recognition of the contributions of workers all over the world and to advance fairer and more sustainable future by advocating for workers’ rights.
“We salute Nigerian workers on this day and commend them for the hard work, commitment, resourcefulness and industry which are essential for the growth of the economy of any nation,” Globacom said.
CWG Plc has announced a significant milestone in its commitment to delivering value to shareholders. Following a thorough review of the company’s financial performance and outlook, the Board of Directors has approved a substantial increase of 400per cent in dividend payout to shareholders.
This decision reflects CWG’s confidence in its financial stability, growth trajectory, and ability to generate sustainable returns. By enhancing the dividend payout, CWG aims to reward shareholders for their continued trust and support while reaffirming its commitment to creating long-term value.
Mr. Philip Obioha, Chairman of the Board of Directors at CWG Plc, said, “The decision to approve a 400% increase in dividend payout underscores our confidence in CWG’s performance and outlook. We are dedicated to delivering value to our shareholders and believe that this significant dividend increase is a testament to our commitment to shareholder value creation.”
This increase in dividend payout aligns with CWG’s strategic objectives to prioritize shareholder interests and maintain strong financial discipline. The Board remains committed to prudent financial management and sustainable growth, ensuring that CWG continues to be a reliable investment for shareholders.
As CWG continues to execute its growth strategy and expand its presence in the market, the Board anticipates that the increased dividend payout will further strengthen investor confidence and support CWG’s vision for the future.
CommunicationsWeek Media Limited, a certified global ICT company with over two million online subscribers, is delighted and proud to announce Prof. Yakub Aliyu, as the keynote speaker at Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Distinguished Lecture series 2024.
Aliyu, will be speaking on the theme: Artificial Intelligence (AI): The Good, The Complex and The Anticipated”, this leans heavily on the fact that AI changing our lives– we just need to know where to look today.
This year’s rebranded Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Distinguished Lecture/Awards Series is slated for Saturday, May 25, 2024 at the Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos.
The event is the most prestigious annual event that brings together captains of industry in both technology and financial worlds.
According to Ken Nwogbo, CEO, Communication Week Media Ltd, organisers of the ABoICT Distinguished Lecture/Awards Series, “the choice of Prof. Yakub Aliyu is deliberate because of his exceptional career in Artificial Intelligence (AI)”.
He added that, AI is considered to have the potential to instigate a fourth industrial revolution,1 and is dramatically changing people’s patterns of interaction and economic activities.
“The traditional factors of production and physical capital and labour may no longer promote substantial economic growth. It is generally believed that AI will be one of the most important factors determining future economic growth,” he said.
A professor of microelectronics and a scholar-practitioner in artificial intelligence and deep machine learning for industrial applications and high-speed application processors. His research interests include Multimodal AI models for high-efficiency industrial robot applications and Human AI interactions.
He also has adjunct academic professorships at five African, USA, and UK universities. Holds a BS in Applied Physics Electronics from Karlsruhe and A Bello Universities in Germany and Nigeria, an MBA in International Business Management from the University of London, an MSEE (Master of Engineering, Electronics), and a Ph.D. in Electronics Engineering from the University of Wales.
Prof. Aliyu is the global quality director for Bourns Inc., Riverside, California, USA, an electronics system, and components manufacturer. I oversee quality functions in 21 factories worldwide.
He has also held quality and operational management leadership positions at National Semiconductors, Bell Labs-Lucent Technology, Texas Instrument, Global Foundries, and Roper Technologies USA.
Authored and coauthored over 30 Advanced Technology United States-issued patents in High-Speed Application Processors and Contributed to over 40 international impact Journals, chapters, and conferences; FASI, SMIEEE USA, MIEE UK, M. Inst pf Physics Chartered Phys and C Eng UK.
Past lecturers included Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, then executive vice chairman, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC); Engr. Yomi Bolarinwa, former Director-General of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC); Dr. Jean Luc Fort, CEO at OR System France and a specialist in Counterparty Risk; and Professor Chris Nwagboso, Chairman, Knowledge Factory International, United Kingdom.
Others are: Uche Orji, managing director/chief executive officer, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA); Biodu Omoniyi, Managing Director/CEO, VDT Communications; Ayotunde Coker, Managing Director, Rack Centre Limited; Peter Adedayo Arogundade, managing director and chief executive officer, Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited; Dr. Adewale Obadare, chief visionary officer, Digital Encode and John Obaro, CEO and founder of Systemspecs; Prof. Isa Pantanmi, minister of Communications and Digital Economy; Dr. Seyi Akindeind, co-founder, Digital Encode; Dr Krishnan Ranganath, Regional Director, Africa Data Centres.
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