Horizon1000 aims to bring powerful AI healthcare tools to Africa

The Gates Foundation and OpenAI have launched a joint healthcare initiative, Horizon1000, to expand the use of AI across primary care systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. The partnership includes a $50 million commitment in funding, technology, and technical support to equip 1,000 clinics with AI tools by 2028.

Horizon1000’s Operations will begin in Rwanda, where local authorities will work with the two organisations to deploy AI systems in frontline healthcare settings. The initiative reflects the Foundation’s long-standing aim to ensure that new technologies reach lower-income regions without long delays.

Bill Gates said the project responds to a critical shortage of healthcare workers, which threatens to undermine decades of progress in global health. Sub-Saharan Africa currently faces a shortfall of nearly six million medical professionals, limiting the capacity of overstretched clinics to deliver consistent care.

Low-quality healthcare contributes to between six and eight million deaths annually in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. Rwanda, the first pilot country, has only one healthcare worker per 1,000 people, far below the WHO’s recommended level.

AI tools under Horizon1000 are intended to support, rather than replace, health workers by assisting with clinical guidance, administration, and patient interactions. The Gates Foundation said it will continue working with regional governments and innovators to scale the programme.

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