By Muhammad Amaan
Some Public Health experts have stressed the importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in data collection and analysis for disease surveillance and public health in Nigeria.
The specialists spoke at the 5th Annual Disease Surveillance Review Meeting, by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), in Lagos state.
The three-day meeting started on Monday, October 28, and has the theme “Strengthening Global Health Security through Enhanced Surveillance.”
According to them, effective usage of various data sources, including social media and health facilities, to track disease trends and improve public health responses, is necessary.
Director-General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris in his opening remarks, noted that public health crises had not only underscored the country’s vulnerabilities, but also exposed gaps in resources, data systems, and human capacities.
According to him, though Nigeria has faced and overcome some of the most formidable public health crises, there is need for more efforts to mitigate the challenges.
The crises include Ebola, COVID-19, measles, cholera, Lassa fever, Mpox, meningitis, “and newly emerging, often mysterious health threats like the suspected heavy metal poisoning we are now addressing.
“We stand on the frontlines against an array of threats—both familiar and new, predictable and unexpected. Today, we contend with an enduring cholera outbreak intensified by devastating floods across our states.
“The increasing data from these public health threats are not just statistics; they are stories of families, communities, and individuals whose lives hang in the balance.
“This public health crisis has not only underscored our vulnerabilities but has exposed gaps in resources, data systems, and human capacities,” he said.
Dr Idris said that the nation’s health security structures, like the invaluable team members stationed at the state, local government and community levels, remained its backbone.
He said that changes in administration, shifting resources and the push and pull factors, had thinned these ranks, leaving people vulnerable and stretched in critical areas.
He said that delays in data transmission/reporting, inconsistencies in data quality, and prolonged laboratory turnaround times hinder its ability to act swiftly and decisively.
However, Idris said that the challenges would not weaken the centre’s resolve to protect Nigerians by preventing, detecting, and responding to health threats.
He stressed the need for adaptation to meet the demands of a shifting global landscape.
“New technologies such as the electronic IDSR, epidemic intelligence systems and advanced diagnostic tools are no longer mere options; they are necessities.
“As pathogens evolve, so must our responses. We are called to think not only as health professionals but as pioneers, ensuring that our nation’s health defences are equipped for the future,” he said.
Idris said the discussions must go beyond its current models, adding that they were in a race against time and complexity, where pathogens evolve and boundaries blur.
According to him, we must evolve our methods, not only to keep pace with these threats but to stay ahead of them.
He urged for collaboration to build the resilient and responsive health system the nation needs.
“Our surveillance system, our policies, and our public health interventions must be driven by high-quality, actionable data, ensuring that we remain responsive and resilient in the face of potential outbreaks,” he said.
Dr Idris said there was need to build on successful foundation, elevate the standards of disease surveillance and response, and ensure that every Nigerian community stands resilient against health threats.
Dr Walter Mulombo, WHO Country Representative to Nigeria, also emphasised the need for technology, including AI, to enhance data analysis and decision-making at local and state levels.
According to him, there is the role of artificial intelligence in predicting and responding to health issues before they become apparent, underscoring its significance in Nigeria.
“We are in the time of One Health approach; countries are being requested to make sure that all surveillance activity, whether in the animal interface or human interface or even in the environment, is integrated and information shared.
“Because what happens to health is influenced by what’s happening in our environment and what’s happening in the ecosystem.
“So, this is an opportunity to rethink surveillance intervention in Nigeria,” he said.
Mulombo also mentioned that artificial intelligence needed to be factored in.
“Nowadays, even if we don’t know, the world will know already through artificial intelligence, something is happening in Nigeria even before Nigeria knows it.
“And so, talking about performance, and we are doing well, it’s the ability to meet those demands. And we are no longer in the past century.
“There are new dimensions that call for different ways of thinking and different ways of investing and surveillance is key. It has to be collaborating,” he said.
