There are indications that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help predict future diseases, medical experts who cited research to that effect, have said.
This claim was made at the third Public Health Grand Round organized by the School of Public Health, Ondo State University of Medical Sciences, Ondo where medical experts were gathered for deliberations on the future of public health.
At the programme, themed “Preventing the Next Pandemic: Use of Artificial Intelligence for Epidemic Monitoring and Alerts,” the guest lecturer, Prof Oluwadiya Kehinde who is a surgeon and Information Technology guru, said “AI used Machine learning methods can be leveraged to prevent the spread of deadly infectious disease outbreak..”
According to him, “AI helps to process medical data which health care workers can interprete to improve health outcomes.”
He said: “It can be applied to public health in the area of predicting communicable disease outbreaks and the direction that surveillance will take towards disease prevention and control.”
While speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor, UNIMED, Prof Adesegun Fatusi described “Artificial Intelligence as a computer- driven modern and innovative method that every health care worker should embrace and learn its operations.”
“AI can pre-scan medical images and flag those of them that are unusual and direct the line of management,” Adesegun stressed.
The Dean of the School of Public Health, Prof Olalekan Adebimpe observed that “pathogens or microbes are struggling with humans for survival.”
“Part of their strategy is to catch humans unaware, like it did during COVID 19. Artificial intelligence can help to predict future disease outbreaks and position us for efficient epidemic preparedness,” Prof. Adebimpe said.
The programme was attended by health care professionals, medical practitioners as well as staff and students of the university.
