Expert seeks AI adoption for early detection of hypertension, cancer
A public health expert and lead researcher on the emerging technology for Health Initiative, Dr. Chinyelu Uzoma has called for the adoption of artificial intelligence to enhance early detection and preventive care of non-communicable diseases.
Uzoma emphasised that Northern Nigeria records some of the highest mortality rates from NCDs, largely due to delayed diagnoses and inadequate healthcare access.
“ET offers a proactive approach to identify at-risk populations early, even in remote areas.
“Our goal is to democratise preventive care and reduce the burden on overwhelmed facilities,” she explained.
The emerging technology on health initiative employs a hybrid model that integrates machine learning with community health workers’ expertise.
The health expert revealed that the system analyses data from portable diagnostic devices such as handheld monitors and testing kits used during village outreaches. The machine learning then cross-references this information with local dietary habits, family histories, and environmental factors to predict health risks.
“For example, it can flag early warning signs in a patient’s health patterns long before complications arise,” she noted.
Currently, the project prioritises prevalent NCDs due to their severe complications. Additionally, the initiative is exploring ET-powered screening tools that utilize smartphone-based imaging.
“These diseases reflect the region’s urgent healthcare needs, and ET has the potential to amplify limited human resources,” Uzoma added.
Despite its promising outlook, the project has faced significant challenges, including data scarcity, infrastructural gaps, and sociocultural barriers.
“Many patients lack formal medical records, so we’re building datasets from scratch with community consent.”
To navigate infrastructural setbacks such as power shortages and poor internet connectivity, the initiative has developed offline AI tools for easy data acquisition.
“Some communities also initially mistrusted ET, fearing it would replace human care, but we proposed to address this by training local health workers as ET advocates.”
So far, the results have been promising. In four months, the emerging technology system screened a group of people in Northern Nigeria, identifying 18 percent as high-risk for cardiovascular conditions. One notable case was that of a 45-year-old farmer whose condition was detected during a village outreach.
“He’s now on treatment and mentors’ others on the importance of regular check-ups. Stories like his reinforce the impact of our work,” Uzoma stressed.
To ensure ethical ET usage, the initiative follows strict anonymization protocols and adheres to Nigeria’s data protection laws. “All data is stored locally with encryption, and we educate communities about their rights. Transparency builds trust, which is why we involve village heads and elders in every step,” she assured.
She urged policymakers to recognize the economic and social toll of NCDs and to support ET-driven healthcare initiatives.
Uzoma’s work emphasises the transformative potential of ET in healthcare, especially in resource-limited settings.
As NCD cases continue to rise in Northern Nigeria, her approach, rooted in technology, equity, and community partnerships, offers a sustainable model for addressing the crisis.
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