Rédaction Africa Links 24 with AHIT
Published on 2024-01-31 12:12:16
An online discussion on the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to address long-standing challenges in Africa’s healthcare sector took place recently. The discussion emphasized the need for collaboration and investment in AI technology by innovators, researchers, and policymakers in order to develop and adopt locally produced AI solutions for healthcare in Africa. The panel discussion was held on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) on 9 November, ahead of the 3rd International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA).
The annual CPHIA conference is organized by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and aims to address public health issues in Africa. Panelist Abimbola Adebakin, founder of Advantage Health Africa, highlighted the potential of AI to address challenges such as the soaring costs of drugs, inefficiencies in drug development, and the dependency on imported medicine in Africa. She pointed out that AI has the capability to reduce the traditional ten to 15-year timeline and US$2.5 billion cost for pharmaceutical companies to develop new drugs.
Jean Philbert Nsengimana, chief digital advisor at Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also highlighted the opportunities offered by AI adoption in the healthcare sector to expand access to services across all levels of care on the African continent. He stressed the need for institutions like the Africa CDC to promote the use of AI to break the cycle of hesitancy and facilitate the adoption of AI for healthcare.
The discussion also emphasized the importance of creating the appropriate policies and regulatory environment to attract investment in AI healthcare solutions. It was noted that only a few African countries, including Egypt, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa, and Rwanda, have policies in place for AI. Thomas Nkoudou, an AI researcher at the Montreal International Center of Expertise in Artificial Intelligence, emphasized the need for Africa to actively participate in the global AI landscape and take ownership of its narrative.
Overall, the discussion highlighted the potential of AI to revolutionize healthcare in Africa and emphasized the need for strategic investment, collaboration, and policy development to maximize its impact.
