…Prof Mark Okeji says only medics that refuse to adapt will surrender to AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI) will quicken diagnosis and make healthcare delivery more efficient, but will not replace doctors and other healthcare professionals in the system.
This is the highpoint of an induction lecture delivered at the PAMO University of Medical Sciences (PUMS) on Friday, October 16, 2026, by a Professor of Radiography and Radiological Sciences from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
“AI has come to help you, not to replace you”, the professor declared.
Mark Okeji, the guest lecturer, however warned healthcare professionals against ignoring artificial intelligence, saying those who would fail to acquire the skills to use the technology risk being left behind.
Okeji spoke at the joint induction and oath-taking ceremony for graduates of Medical Laboratory Science, Nursing Science, and Radiography and Radiation Science at PUMS located at Iriebe in Obio/Akpor LGA section of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
He said artificial intelligence would revolutionise healthcare delivery by accelerating diagnosis, improving patient monitoring and supporting clinical decisions, stressing that the technology was designed to enhance, rather than simply replace, human expertise.
“AI has not come to replace you. It has come to help you. It makes the job simpler and makes our patients feel better. So, don’t be afraid of it. But if you’re not there to understand AI, AI will take over from you,” he said.
The professor explained that AI-powered diagnostic systems could analyse medical samples, interpret medical images and process large volumes of patient information within seconds, reducing the time required for investigations and enabling faster clinical decisions.
According to him, AI is already being deployed in medical diagnostics, telemedicine, hospital administration, clinical decision-making and remote patient monitoring.
He added that wearable devices, including smartwatches, could monitor vital health indicators such as heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, and sleep patterns, providing information that would help healthcare professionals identify potential problems early.
Okeji also highlighted the technology’s potential to strengthen public health surveillance through the analysis of disease patterns, prediction of outbreaks and improved deployment of medical personnel and resources to areas with urgent healthcare needs.
He, however, identified what he called fragmented health data, privacy concerns, algorithmic bias and inadequate trust among some healthcare professionals as challenges that must be addressed to ensure the responsible use of AI in healthcare.
He called for stronger ethical safeguards and appropriate regulation, urging healthcare institutions and practitioners to develop the competence required to harness the technology effectively.
“AI is transforming healthcare today. Tomorrow, it will redefine it. The future is intelligent, connected, and very human-centred,” he said.
Earlier, Smith Jaja, the Vice-Chancellor, said the 28 inductees had undergone rigorous academic and clinical training. He expressed confidence in their preparedness to contribute to the healthcare sector.
Jaja said: “We are proud to inform everyone that these graduates have gone through the best training anybody in their respective professions can receive.”
He urged the graduates to uphold professional ethics and remain faithful to the oaths of the profession, describing the ceremony as a significant milestone for the university, the inductees, and their families.
Adaeze Oreh, a medical professor and daughter of Peter Odili, represented her father, who is the Pro-Chancellor of the University. Oreh is former Commissioner of Health in Rivers State. She congratulated the inductees and stressed the importance of collaboration among nurses, medical laboratory scientists, and radiographers in delivering safe, effective, and patient-centred healthcare.
She described medical laboratory scientists as the medical detectives, nurses as the heart and backbone of patient care, and radiographers as the eyes of medicine, noting that each profession played a critical role in improving patient outcomes.
Oreh also disclosed that the university’s governing board had approved automatic employment after internship for the best graduating students from the three departments.
She urged the inductees to take their internship seriously, describing the period as essential to their transition into fully credentialed and licensed professionals.
In his remarks, Clement Nyenke, the Acting Dean of the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, said the induction marked more than the completion of academic programmes, describing it as the beginning of a lifelong commitment to patients, professional colleagues and society.
The induction ceremony seemed to have deflected most of the negative attention beamed on the University in recent times over funding of government scholars in PAMO. The event seemed to reaffirm the stability in the University and its ability to weather the storms that appeared politically motivated.
