Towards responsible adoption of artificial intelligence for global health and development in the Middle East and North Africa

 

Countries across the Middle East and North Africa are burdened with strained health systems that struggle to provide essential services, including those for improved sexual, reproductive and maternal health outcomes. Against a backdrop of conflict, political crises and natural disasters, women and girls continue to struggle in securing their sexual and reproductive rights and accessing quality health information and services. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to bridge economic, social and cultural divides by providing more contextualized, reliable, secure and accessible health information and services can have transformative effects on individuals and communities across the region.

This project builds on an earlier initiative by the newly formed Global Health and Artificial Intelligence Network in the Middle East and North Africa, which supported the design and implementation of responsible AI-based health interventions addressing the unmet needs of pregnant women, new mothers and newborns. This new project builds on the ongoing efforts of the network and focuses on scalability and sustainability of responsible AI innovations that improve sexual and reproductive health trajectories and outcomes in the region. It also supports capacity strengthening of researchers and innovators on responsible AI as well as collaboration, knowledge exchange and dissemination within the network.

This project is supported through the Artificial Intelligence for Development: Responsible AI, empowering People (AI4D-FCDO) initiative, a five-year partnership between IDRC and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to support policy, innovations and expanded leadership to spur safe and responsible AI development. The vision of the program is to support an inclusive, responsible AI ecosystem that improves the quality of life for all in Africa and beyond.