Page 23 - GHES-2-3

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
AI in antibiotic prescribing in Nigeria

numerous advantages such as easing predictive analysis system that is not able to effectively meet the needs of the
following the input of given parameters, enhancing the population. However, the integration of AI will support the
efficiency of healthcare delivery, allowing personalized system and optimize antibiotic prescribing by providing
treatment, improving diagnostic accuracy, and facilitating data-driven insights, recommendations on personalized
remote monitoring and telemedicine (Cavallaro et al., treatment, and real-time clinical support.
2023). However, the application of AI solutions in Budgetary constraints stand as a significant impediment
healthcare settings would raise a series of concerns in, to the implementation of AI-EAP in Nigeria. The integration
for example, workforce displacement, data privacy and of AI into health-care systems requires substantial financial
security, legal and regulatory challenges, cost and access investments for the acquisition, development, and
issues, and among others (Van Dort et al., 2022). maintenance of sophisticated technologies. In a resource-
limited setting like Nigeria, where healthcare budgets are
7. Budgetary constraints as an obstacle to often constrained, allocating funds for the introduction and
the introduction of AI-enabled antibiotic sustained operation of AI solutions becomes challenging.
prescribing (AI-EAP) in Nigeria This financial hurdle may hinder the timely adoption of
AI-EAP, limiting the potential benefits it could bring to
There are several challenges facing the Nigerian the improvement of health-care practices and patient
health-care system, including inadequate funding, lack outcomes in the country. Addressing budgetary constraints
of infrastructure, and shortage of qualified health-care and seeking innovative funding solutions are crucial steps
professionals (Marra et al., 2023). The health-care system toward overcoming this obstacle.
is underfunded, with inadequate resources for training
and retention of healthcare professionals. Infrastructure, 8. Challenges for the implementation of
including electricity and water supply, is also lacking AI-EAP in Nigeria
in many areas, making it difficult to provide quality
care. In addition, the shortage of qualified health-care 8.1. Technological limitations
professionals, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, Nigeria grapples with inadequate technological
has contributed to the difficulty in providing quality infrastructure, hindering the seamless integration of AI
health-care services. These challenges have resulted in a solutions into health-care practices.

Figure 1. Schematic diagram of the possible use of artificial intelligence and the dataflow integration (Ali et al., 2022)

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2024) 5 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.2602