The challenge
The use of AI is transforming how health systems are planned and how health services are delivered across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) today. When AI solutions are implemented using people-centred and rights-based approaches, they can create efficiencies and improve health outcomes from public health monitoring to point-of-care services. AI also offers potential to support pandemic and epidemic preparedness, recovery and response.
Despite the promise of AI to improve global health, there are important ethical, legal and social implications that, if not appropriately managed and governed, can translate into very real risks to individuals and populations. The current increase in demand for health-focused AI solutions in LMICs is not commensurate to the investments made to strengthen health systems, credible data, skilled individuals and requisite computing infrastructure.
The Initiative/Our Approach
The AI4GH initiative supports work in the following areas:
- Global network for implementation research on epidemic and pandemic prevention, preparedness and response: designing, implementing, using, scaling and governing contextualized and responsible AI innovations.
- Regional implementation research hubs on sexual, reproductive and maternal health: designing, implementing, using, scaling and governing contextualized and responsible AI innovations [Africa | Asia | Latin America and the Caribbean | Middle East and North Africa].
- Supporting responsible AI research and innovations: research and support on developing and deploying AI responsibly, including gender and intersectional analyses.
- Representative data sets from LMICs: on sexual, reproductive and maternal health.
- Commercialization of AI solutions: supporting early-stage businesses to go to market with their AI for health innovations [Asia | Latin America and the Caribbean | Africa].
- Knowledge Exchange and Translation: supporting collaboration, capacities and knowledge translation across all AI4GH projects to position for influence.
Learn more
- Contact us at AI4GH@idrc.ca.
