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From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
An expert in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, Dr Olusola Ayoola, has opined that affordable digital solutions can bridge healthcare gaps currently being experienced in Nigeria.
He made the submission at the first Faculty of Medical Rehabilitation Conference at the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo.
Ayoola, who spoke on the theme “Rehabilitation in the Digital Age: Innovation, Integration and Inclusion”, said “not every digital system must be expensive”.
He added that “the field of biomedical engineering [has] advanced to the point [where] appropriate solutions are within reach”.
He said that rather than embracing global technology replication, which usually has high costs and may not address local healthcare needs, he advocated “local adaptation and innovation whose solutions are tailored to local needs and are affordable, accessible and sustainable in terms of implementation”.
In his contributions, Prof Julius Ademokoya said innovative technologies are transforming rehabilitation practice.
He said: “Rehabilitation practice is unavoidably becoming more integrated, inclusive and accessible. With the use of mobile health solutions and tele‑rehabilitation, there is a significant opportunity to reach the underserved population. Tele‑rehabilitation alone is projected to benefit 1.2 billion people by 2030, vastly improving accessibility.”
Ademokoya, a Professor of Speech Pathology from the University of Ibadan, listed examples of digital technologies already being applied in rehabilitation to include “virtual reality (VR) for cognitive recovery, robotics for mobility, and tele‑rehabilitation as mobile health solutions for remote care”.
The Chairman, Local Organising Committee of the conference, Professor Wahab Owolawi, said the theme of the conference was carefully chosen to reflect the reality of this age.
According to him, “as science and technology evolve, it is incumbent on us practitioners to also evolve, hence the chosen theme for this conference”.
The Vice‑Chancellor, Professor Ebunoluwa Adejuyigbe, represented by the Deputy Vice‑Chancellor, Professor P. O. Osho, congratulated the Faculty of Medical Rehabilitation on the success of their maiden conference and enjoined them to remain innovative in their practice.
