AI expands healthcare access in Africa
Communities and health workers across Africa benefit from AI tools that help deliver higher-quality care and expand access to essential health services.
Health care in Africa is set to benefit from AI through a new initiative by the Gates Foundation and OpenAI. Horizon1000 aims to expand AI-powered support across 1,000 primary care clinics in Rwanda by 2028.
Severe shortages of health workers in Sub-Saharan Africa have limited access to quality care, with the region facing a shortfall of nearly six million professionals. AI tools will assist doctors and nurses by handling administrative tasks and providing clinical guidance.
Rwanda has launched an AI Health Intelligence Centre to utilise limited resources better and improve patient outcomes. The initiative will deploy AI in communities and homes, ensuring support reaches beyond clinic walls.
Experts believe AI represents a major medical breakthrough, comparable to vaccines and antibiotics. By helping health workers focus on patient care, the technology could reduce preventable deaths and transform health systems across low- and middle-income countries.
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