Experts have issued a rallying call to health professionals and innovators to leverage healthcare technology in building resilience and improving health systems across African communities.
The call was echoed at the Africa HealthTech Summit, underway in Kigali, drawing ministers of health and ICT, leading tech innovators, and healthcare professionals from across the continent.
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Dubbed "Innovating for Community Health, Unleashing the Power of AI," the three-day summit seeks to, among others, explore ways to realise the potential of innovations like artificial intelligence, the internet of things, robotics, drones, and blockchain to tackle Africa's most pressing health challenges.
"In Rwanda, we've been integrating different programs and strategies, but I would say that health and technology are probably some of the leading integrations that started 20 years or even 30 years back,” said Minister of Health, Sabin Nsanzimana.
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The development, Nsanzimana pointed out, has been built up starting from the community level with the community electronic medical systems owned and implemented by over 60,000 community health workers across the country.
Minister Nsanzimana also shared an example of Rwanda’s health intelligence centre with AI-driven insights.
"Technology can be utilised for even lay providers trained to use it for the benefit of the community. This centre is artificial intelligence integrated, machine learning for predictive analytics and to inform policies and also to optimise our decision making all across, and the outbreaks I talked about are also built on some of these solutions.
Secondly, there&039;s no way you can improve and move forward with technology without partnership. And partnership has no limit.”
Cyril Seck, digital strategy adviser at Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), said digital health solutions are critical in strengthening early detection and rapid response which are key to a resilient healthcare system for Africa.
He said the Africa CDC remains committed to enhancing public health institutions across the continent through strategic partnerships and innovative approaches.
Addressing human capital
One of AI's biggest benefits in Africa is helping health workers do more with limited resources, officials said at the summit.
Experts said that AI can fill the roles of doctors and other highly skilled health workers who leave the continent to work in other parts of the world.
"One of the biggest challenges we face now on the continent is that countries can't retain their health care workforce. Most African countries lose many doctors to wealthier countries. It's a battle we can't win because people move to where pay is better," said Sean Broomhead, chief executive officer at Health Information System Program South Africa.
Low numbers of doctors mean that most people who currently deliver health care at the primary level are community health workers.
"What AI can do is to augment lower-skilled health care workers who have been delivering health care. This is essential over the next few years because we are going to keep losing doctors," he added.
According to Broomhead, AI has the power to optimise patient care across Africa, with the potential to fill diagnostic gaps.
"Strategic choices are essential to ensure AI's most beneficial applications, with patient needs at the forefront," he said. "Data and healthcare worker training are critical pillars in the successful adoption of AI-driven solutions."
Uganda’s Minister of State for Health (Primary Health Care), Margaret Muhanga Mugisa weighed in on the transformative potential of AI in healthcare, particularly in areas like cancer diagnosis, data analysis, and decision-making.
She maintained the critical need for African nations to leverage AI technologies to drive progress and improve health outcomes across the continent.
Minister Muhanga also reiterated the importance of equipping the youth with the necessary skills to harness and advance AI technologies, ensuring that the region benefits from such innovations for a healthier future.
Cynthia Mwase, the Director of Health for Africa at the Bill Gates Foundation echoed similar sentiments citing the necessity for AI solutions that are tailored to local contexts, including the integration of local languages and cultural profiles.
Mwase also stressed the importance of developing homegrown solutions to maximise AI’s success and impact in African healthcare systems.
For Prof. Marc Twagirumukiza, AI should not be viewed as a replacement for medical doctors but rather as a tool to empower them and enhance their work.
Prof. Twagirumukiza noted that Africa possesses all the necessary elements to integrate AI into its healthcare sector effectively, eliminating the need for further experimentation.
However, he called for a collective effort to co-create solutions that are tailored to the unique needs of local African communities.