Philanthropic Giants Fund AI Health Research in LMICs
The Gates Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation, and Wellcome are partnering to support locally-led research on the use of AI in health for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The initiative aims to evaluate mature AI tools that could improve health outcomes in these regions. The first call for proposals focuses on AI tools that support health workers in primary care settings.
- This US$60 million initiative, named Evidence for AI in Health (EVAH), is the second investment from a broader US$300 million, three-year global health partnership launched by the three foundations in 2024. - The initiative will be implemented with delivery partners J-PAL (the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab) and APHRC (the African Population and Health Research Center), who will manage the application process and provide technical input. - The funding addresses a significant evidence gap; a recent Lancet study found that of 86 randomized clinical trials on AI health tools between 2018 and 2023, only four were conducted in low- and middle-income countries. - The first call for proposals specifically targets countries in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. - This initial funding phase will focus on AI tools that assist frontline health workers with clinical tasks such as triage, diagnosis, and making referrals. - The larger $300 million partnership also targets solutions for the health impacts of climate change, infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and the relationship between nutrition, immunity, and disease. - Existing AI-powered health tools in LMICs include Uganda's use of AI to cut TB diagnosis time from chest X-rays and Kenya's use of AI to screen for diabetic retinopathy in rural areas. - Nigeria's minister of communications, innovation, and digital economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, noted that this investment will generate critical insights to inform policymaking and drive the adoption of AI solutions on the continent.
