AI for Health, Part 2: A Step Ahead

The Africa Health Ventures Podcast

How do global actors stay one step ahead of the risks posed by AI for health?

In Part 2 of our 3-part series on AI for Health, we dive deeper to see what’s going on inside the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to safeguard the future.

Today’s lineup includes:

* Dr. Sam Oti of the International Development Research Center (IDRC) in Canada and Host of the MedxTek Africa Podcast

* Andy Pattison, Team Lead Digital Channels, World Health Organization

Stay tuned for the last episode in our mini-series about AI for Health, where we’ll take a peek under the hood of AI with makers and innovators at IDInsight, PATH, and Intron Health.

Shoutout to our sponsor, Reach Digital Health, for making this series possible.

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Show Notes

Some of the topics we cover in this panel discussion include:

* (3m24s) - What is the World Health Organization (WHO) doing to ensure the ethical application of AI to global health - and minimize the many risks it presents?

* (5m25s) - How the WHO is working with technology partners to tackle misinformation

* (12m02s) - How the WHO uses AI to understand how people are thinking about and responding to health information

* (24m16s) - How did IDRC become of one of the first major funders in the world of AI for Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)

* (28m04s) - How does the AI for Global Health program work?

* (34m29s) - What is NOT fundable? What kind of proposals get rejected?

* (37m48s) - What African healthtech startups are leading the charge to disrupt healthcare with AI?

Learn More

* You can learn more about Andy Pattison’s work with the Digital Channels group at the WHO here.

* The WHO publication, Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence for Health, highlights the ethical challenges and risks with the use of artificial intelligence of health and proposes six consensus principles to ensure AI works to the public benefit of all countries.

* Artificial Intelligence for Global Health is a five-year, CAD15.5 million investment from IDRC to fund AI efforts in low- and middle-income countries to strengthen health systems. Through this funding, research and innovation hubs have been established across Africa to support the development of responsible and inclusive AI.

* Based out of Makerere University in Uganda is the Africa Hub for Artificial Intelligence in Maternal, Sexual and Reproductive Health in Africa (HASH).

* In Kenya, Villgro Africa is the commercialization hub for Africa.

* MedxTek Africa is a podcast from Dr. Sam Oti that showcases digital health and healthtech innovations from across Africa.

* In his capacity as host of the MedxTek Podcast, Dr Sam Oti has interviewed dozens of promising healthtech startups across Africa. He highlights a few that are making strides in the application of ethical AI to global health challenges. These include:

* MinoHealth AI Labs in Ghana develops AI-driven diagnostic and treatment recommendations to improve patient outcomes in Africa.

* Intixel from Egypt creates AI-powered software for medical imaging, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of radiological diagnoses through automated analysis and interpretation.

* Hurone AI founded by Dr. Kingsley Ndoh from Nigeria focuses on developing AI-based oncology solutions that offer personalized cancer treatment plans and improve access to quality care for cancer patients in Africa.

* Jacaranda Health in Kenya provides an AI-powered health navigator that engages new and expecting moms through a chatbot on how to work with the public health system.

* Looking ahead at the innovations that might be a game-changer for personal health, Dr. Sam Oti highlights the possibility of wearable AI. As an example he mentions Humane AI, a discreet, ubiquitous sensor and AI-powered second brain that you can pin to your shirt. In his words, “unfortunately it doesn’t work.” Yet.

* Thank you to Alice Liu of Baraka Impact Finance for a tonne of help behind the scenes putting this episode together. Among her many achievements working in AI for global health, Alice was previously co-chair of the AI Working Group for Africa CDC's Digital Transformation Strategy.

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