Govt pledges support for AI in healthcare system

The government, through the information ministry, has pledged support in the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the healthcare system through exploring funding opportunities and capacity building.

This was revealed during the three-day second Artificial Intelligence for health symposium organised by Mbarara University Data Science Research Hub (MUDSReH) under Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) at Las Vegas Hotel in Mbarara city this week.

Principal Dr Fredrick Kitoogo, the Uganda Institute of ICT (UICT), which is under the information ministry, revealed that as the ministry, they recognise the invaluable contributions of the hub to Uganda’s healthcare system saying the ministry is committed to support all the endeavours.

Kitoogo, who was the chief guest, noted that the ministry is committed to working with the hub to strengthen the policy frameworks, and facilitate research as a successful tool in digital infrastructure development.

“It is necessary to harness AI in health care solutions and additionally, the ministry will also explore more funding opportunities, partnerships and capacity building initiatives to ensure that the Hub remains at the forefront of AI-driven innovations in health care system,” Kitoogo said.

He added: “The hub is helping to position Uganda as the regional leader in AI-driven healthcare research. This can be achieved through involving all stakeholders to ensure that the AI technology evolves responsibly and is deployed effectively”.

Dr. Fred Kaggwa, the team leader at MUDSReH speaking to the health experts during the second AI for health symposium at Las Vegas hotel yesterday.

Dr Fred Kaggwa, the team leader at the Mbarara University Data Science Research Hub that is championing harnessing AI with the healthcare system, said AI will help in early detection of some diseases like cancer.

Kaggwa noted that AI will improve the capacity of health workers in terms of carrying out diagnosis of specific diseases like cancer, and retinopathy among others.

 Rose Nakasi, an AI expert at Makerere University who also leads the Makerere University AI Health Lab, said AI will help to harness this technology to support the health care system. For example, if a person has been diagnosing so many patients, it will help to reduce the workload.

“For example, the ratio of patients to pathologists in Uganda is about 3000 patients against one. This is a quite high number considering the limitations of skilled expertise in the health care system in our country” said Nakasi.

She added, “we hope that AI if well embraced, it is going to help experts in quick decision making and I want to array the fears of some people who think that AI is going to replace them, that’s not true but it will rather compliment their work, reduce on the workload and be able to improve on their capacity to handle very many patients without being over strained.”