NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – Global health leaders gathered in New York during the UN General Assembly to advocate for a country-led approach to artificial intelligence in the fight against diseases. The event brought together health ministers, funding organizations, diagnostics experts, and public health specialists. Co-hosted by the Global Institute for Disease Elimination, the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, and the Government of Nigeria, the discussion centered on how AI can enhance disease tracking, inform health decisions, and allocate scarce resources more effectively.
Michael Adekunle Charles, CEO of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, spoke on behalf of Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate. His remarks underscored the importance of countries maintaining control over how their health systems adopt new technological solutions. Nigeria’s ongoing Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, which includes primary healthcare and domestic health financing, was also highlighted. Attendees agreed that national priorities, health system capacity, and local conditions should steer the deployment of AI tools.
Discussions included the infrastructure necessary to expand AI in public health, covering data management systems, workforce skills, integration with existing health systems, and financial support for sustainable programs. The most recent World Health Organization malaria report projected 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths globally in 2024, with the WHO African Region bearing the highest burden. Nigeria recorded the largest estimated number of malaria cases among countries in the region.
AI training initiatives aim to empower public health leaders
GLIDE unveiled two AI training schemes targeting national program managers and public health workers. Its Leadership Excellence in AI for Health program is designed for senior decision-makers and will take place in Abu Dhabi from January 17 to 22, 2027. The first residential cohort is expected to include 25 to 30 participants. Unlike technical courses, this program emphasizes AI governance, implementation strategies, organizational readiness, and accountability.
The second effort, AI for All, is a collaboration between Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and GLIDE. It offers an online, four-module course tailored for public health professionals without coding skills or technical backgrounds. The curriculum covers fundamental AI concepts, generative AI tools, issues of bias, privacy, accountability, and human oversight, aiming to equip health workers with practical knowledge for assessing and employing AI in their organizations.
Partnerships between GLIDE and RBM formalize malaria-related AI initiatives
During the New York gathering, GLIDE and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria also signed a memorandum of understanding. This framework aims to connect technical expertise, innovation, AI solutions, and capacity-building efforts with the specific needs of national malaria programs. Its goal is to promote country-led strategies for malaria control and elimination, aligning with the World Health Organization’s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria, which aspires to reduce cases and fatalities worldwide through 2030.
The discussion extended to the application of AI in combating malaria, polio, and neglected tropical diseases amid tightening health and humanitarian budgets. The focus remained on improving surveillance, deploying targeted interventions, and optimizing resource utilization. Emphasizing national health authorities’ leadership in decision-making, the initiative combines training, technical support, and country-specific strategies, as announced during the UN General Assembly event.