Staff of the Lagos State College of Health Technology, LASCOHET have been charged to embrace curiosity, innovation, and the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) as a vital tool in shaping the future of healthcare in Nigeria.
Honourable Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr. Alex Alake made this call during the institution’s 2025 Management Retreat, held at the Crown City Resort Hall in Agbara, Ogun State.
Alake, who was represented by the Deputy Director of ICT Training and Service Management, Mrs. Gbemisola Kayode-Bolarinwa, delivered a keynote address that emphasized the transformative potential of AI in healthcare delivery.
“Be curious and bold—don’t fear artificial intelligence; befriend it, learn it, and challenge it,” she said, conveying the commissioner’s message.
Alake, in his presentation themed “Preparing the Allied Healthcare Workforce for an AI-Driven Future: Education Strategies for Tomorrow’s Challenges,” described allied health professionals as the backbone of the healthcare system.
He also urged LASCOHET to take the lead in preparing AI-literate professionals through short courses, simulation labs, and strategic partnerships with tech startups.
Also speaking at the event, Lagos State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mr. Tolani Sule, commended LASCOHET Provost, Professor Raheem Akewushola, for infusing the institution with renewed innovation and progress.
Sule called on staff to actively support the college’s goals, describing unity and collective effort as key drivers of institutional success.
Adding an academic perspective, the Director of the Joint Universities Preliminary Examination Board (JUPEB), Dr. Kolawole Godonu, emphasized curriculum reengineering, simulation-based learning, and industry-academia collaboration.
He stressed that LASCOHET must democratize access to AI knowledge to ensure graduates are equipped to evaluate AI for fairness, accuracy, and inclusiveness.
Dr. Godonu envisioned a future where LASCOHET graduates would integrate AI in critical roles: community health extension workers triaging patients via mobile apps, lab scientists using AI for pathogen detection, and health record officers managing electronic data integrity.
Earlier, LASCOHET Provost, Professor Raheem Akewushola, praised Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his unwavering support for education and healthcare. He also lauded the efforts of Commissioner Sule and other stakeholders.
Highlighting recent achievements under his tenure, Akewushola announced the matriculation of 802 students, clearance of academic backlogs, and the establishment of a modern college clinic in collaboration with the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board.
“AI is reshaping how we diagnose, treat, manage, and prevent diseases,” the Provost said. “Our workforce must be adaptive and technology-savvy.”
The two-day retreat, which wraps up on Friday, July 25, brought together key figures, including Permanent Secretary Mr. Adeniran Kasali and former Registrar Mr. Akinwunmi Lewis.
The event served as a strategic platform for aligning stakeholders on the evolving landscape of health education in Lagos State.