Page 25 - GHES-2-3

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
AI in antibiotic prescribing in Nigeria

delivery of medications and other supplies. Furthermore, of Nigeria. Without a stable power supply, it can be difficult
drones and other technological tools can be used to deliver to run the equipment and software needed for AI-based
care in remote areas. systems. There are some potential solutions to this issue, such
as the use of solar power or other alternative energy sources.
10. Pre-implementation stage
requirements for AI-EAP in Nigeria 11. Post-implementation stage requirements for
AI-EAP in Nigeria
10.1. Bridging trust issues
The implementation of AI-EAP and clinical support systems
Trust is a vital component of healthcare, and it can be in Nigerian health-care settings holds immense potential to
especially challenging to build trust in AI-based systems. combat antimicrobial AR and improve patient outcomes.
However, by providing transparency and demonstrating However, successful and sustainable implementation
the benefits of AI, it may be possible to build trust among requires robust post-implementation strategies addressing
users over time. This is especially important in areas where key aspects like the establishment of an effective monitoring
there is a lack of trust in the healthcare system (“Why Trust and evaluation unit (MEU), meant to continuously assess
Matters in Healthcare,” 2015). the impact of AI-clinical intervention and prescribing
support (AI-CIPS) on antibiotic prescribing practices,
10.2. Radio and TV programs
AMR rates, patient outcomes, and system usability. In
Publicizing the benefits of AI in healthcare services via addition, the post-implementation stage must focus on
radio and television programs is an effective way to educate activities aimed at developing standardized data collection
the public in this regard, contributing to deepening the and analysis methods, monitoring antibiotic prescribing
trust and understanding of AI as well as creating a sense of patterns and trends, and evaluating the effectiveness of AI
communication around the healthcare environment. recommendations and adherence to guidelines (Rajpurkar
et al., 2022). There is also the need to thoroughly assess the
10.3. Peer enlightenment impact on AMR rates and patient outcomes, and conduct
Peer education is a powerful tool for improving healthcare. user satisfaction surveys among health-care personnel and
It is effective in promoting behavior change and increasing patients, and most importantly, regularly report findings to
knowledge about health issues. This approach could be stakeholders and inform system optimization.
especially useful in the context of AI in healthcare, as it In the post-implementation stage, it is crucial to
could help to address any skepticism or mistrust that implement budget and personnel planning for MEU
people may have about the technology. activities, which require data analysts, statisticians, and

10.4. Community and school enlightenment health-care professionals (WHO, 2015). The mobilization
programs of the Community as Watchdogs must be supported as it
will empower communities to actively participate in AMR
Community and school-based programs can effectively surveillance and promote responsible antibiotic use. This
reach and educate a large number of people about AI in can be achieved via community education programs on
healthcare. These programs could be tailored to the specific AMR and responsible antibiotic use, training community
needs of the community and could incorporate interactive health workers to monitor antibiotic prescribing
activities to make learning fun and engaging. practices and report concerns, and establishing feedback
mechanisms for patients and communities to report
10.5. Influence of traditional rulers and religious inappropriate antibiotic use. Government at all levels must
leaders
partner with community organizations, non-governmental
Traditional rulers and religious leaders wield huge organizations, and local media outlets—Alliance for
influence in many communities and thus can be powerful Responsible Use of Antibiotics (Anon, 2020; WHO, 2019a;
advocates for the use of AI in healthcare. By engaging with WHO, 2019b; Bajwa et al., 2021).
these leaders, it will be possible to reach a wider audience
and gain their support for the use of AI. 11.1. Establishment of sustainable funding sources
• Purpose: Secure long-term financial resources to
10.6. Addressing energy and electricity problems
maintain and scale up AI-CIPS implementation.
As the shortage of energy and electricity has been a major • Strategies:
problem in Nigeria, having access to reliable energy and (i) Public-private partnerships with pharmaceutical
electricity is a long-sought goal awaiting to realized to companies, technology providers, and
promote the use of AI in health-care domain in many parts international organizations.

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2024) 7 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.2602