• Gates Foundation and OpenAI commit $50 million to implement AI solutions in 1,000 African health centers by 2028 under the “Horizon 1000” program.
• Rwanda will host the program’s pilot, aimed at improving primary care, reducing administrative burdens, and supporting frontline health workers.
• Sub-Saharan Africa faces a shortage of 5.6 million healthcare professionals, highlighting the need for digital health interventions.

On January 20, the Gates Foundation and U.S.-based AI company OpenAI announced a partnership to strengthen primary healthcare in 1,000 centers across Africa by 2028 using AI. The organizations plan to mobilize $50 million in funding, technology, and technical support under the “Horizon 1000” initiative.

The program will start in Rwanda before expanding to other African nations. Partners aim to help policymakers move from experimentation to concrete AI deployment in health centers. They said AI can assist frontline health workers in applying complex protocols, reduce administrative burdens, and allow clinicians to dedicate more time to patients. The technology could also enable populations to better monitor their own health.

“AI will inevitably be a scientific marvel, but to make it a societal marvel, we must find ways to use this extraordinary technology to improve people’s lives,” said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

The Gates Foundation and OpenAI stressed that primary care forms the foundation of resilient health systems but remains inaccessible to nearly half the global population. Sub-Saharan Africa alone faces a deficit of an estimated 5.6 million health professionals, exerting pressure on existing staff and highlighting unmet needs. Healthcare quality also varies widely, contributing to preventable deaths.

In response, several African countries have begun integrating ICT into health systems as part of broader digital transformations. The Montreal International AI Expertise Center (CEIMIA) recognizes AI’s significant potential to improve healthcare delivery in sub-Saharan Africa. Its report State of AI in Healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa notes AI’s growing role in telemedicine, operational management, medical imaging, diagnostics, data-driven monitoring, and drug discovery.

AI Applications and Infrastructure Challenges

Telemedicine and remote patient monitoring account for 31.7% of AI applications in the region. Platforms use video conferencing, instant messaging, and virtual consultations to connect patients with health professionals. Real-time patient monitoring leverages smartphones and chatbots to collect and aggregate data at low cost.

Despite these advances, CEIMIA highlights several structural limitations. Key AI hubs attract most international funding and are predominantly anglophone. Private companies and universities receive the bulk of financing, while government and civil society participation remains limited.

Additional challenges include scarce data, limited funding, regulatory gaps, scaling difficulties, infrastructure constraints, skill shortages, and issues around diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), algorithmic bias, and local collaboration. Rural and remote health centers face electricity and internet access problems. According to GSMA, 9% of Africans lack internet coverage, and only 28% use mobile internet.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum