What a doctor’s typing speed reveals about Africa’s voice AI gap

In 2022, a study conducted by Intron, a Nigerian AI startup, involving Nigerian doctors, found that their average typing speed was just 22 words per minute. 

The figure might seem like an unimportant detail, but it points to a much bigger problem in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Every day, a doctor must listen to a patient describe their symptoms, ask follow-up questions, consider possible diagnoses and record the encounter. That documentation may include a clinical note commonly known as a SOAP note organised around the patient’s complaints, the doctor’s assessment and a plan. It is an essential part of medical practice, but it also takes time.