A Nigerian woman has sounded the alarm that a "pandemic" is unfolding in hospitals, where physicians allegedly input patients' complaints into [ChatGPT](https://openai.com/chatgpt) to receive diagnostic suggestions, raising concerns about the growing influence of artificial intelligence in medical care.
**What did the woman allege?**
Toluwanimi Blessing Ibitoye‑Fatola said she observed doctors typing the details of a patient's symptoms into the AI tool and then basing their diagnosis on the generated response. She added that if she wanted an AI‑driven diagnosis she would have avoided the hospital altogether. In her post she wrote: "There's this pandemic going on in hospitals right now. Whenever you go to the hospital and speak to a doctor, the doctor is typing everything on ChatGPT, gives you the response or next question from AI, and I'm left wondering why I didn't just ask AI myself for free."
She continued, noting that she saw a doctor looking at a large screen while repeatedly typing on a phone, and questioned, "Am I the only one who has noticed this?" She also expressed frustration with the perceived exodus of medical professionals, saying many are "japaing" (leaving the country).
**How did medical professionals respond?**
Several doctors replied that a clinician typing on a device does not necessarily mean they are consulting AI for a diagnosis. They explained that the activity could be entering patient information into an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system, a standard practice for documenting care. The first mention of EMR is linked here: [Electronic Medical Record](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_medical_record).
**Did the woman maintain her stance?**
Ibitoye‑Fatola edited her original post to stress that the situation was not an EMR entry. She described a large screen positioned in front of the doctor that displayed patient details, while the doctor continued to type on his phone alongside the screen, suggesting ongoing reliance on the AI platform.
The exchange highlights a growing public debate in Nigeria about the appropriate use of AI tools like ChatGPT in clinical settings and the need for clear guidelines to ensure patient safety and trust.