American philanthropist Bill Gates has called for artificial intelligence (AI) to be deployed in Africa from the early stages of its development, warning that introducing the technology only after it has benefited wealthier nations would deepen global health inequalities.
The chair of the Gates Foundation made the remarks during the inaugural Paul Farmer Butaro Dialogues on Health Equity and Innovation, held at the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) in partnership with the Consortium of Medical Schools-Africa (COMS-A) on Wednesday, July 22.
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First Lady Jeannette Kagame attended the event alongside Minister of Health Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, Minister of ICT and Innovation Paula Ingabire, Minister of Education Joseph Nsengimana, health leaders, researchers and other officials.
"If we let things take their normal course, AI, like all advanced tools, will be in the rich countries. The profit motive, the amount customers can pay, the data centres — it will benefit a very narrow part of the world. That would be a great injustice," Gates said.
"We should bring AI to those in need because the most overloaded healthcare workforce in the world is here in Africa. Tools that help health workers make decisions, streamline services and identify where more support is needed will save many, many lives."
Gates said AI has the potential to accelerate progress against diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV and malnutrition, but argued its greatest impact would come from improving the delivery of healthcare services.
He stressed that innovation must be designed with access and equity at its core, reflecting the vision of the late Dr Paul Farmer, the global health advocate and co-founder of Partners In Health.
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"Those digital systems will be the foundation for the next generation, which will be powered by artificial intelligence. Rwanda is at the forefront, working with the Gates Foundation and AI providers to explore how AI can strengthen the health system," he said.
Gates added that institutions such as UGHE would play a key role in adapting AI tools to local contexts, including ensuring they understand local languages and address the health challenges facing African communities.
During his visit to Rwanda, Gates toured the National Health Intelligence Center, where he observed how digital technologies are supporting healthcare delivery.
He praised Rwanda&039;s progress in public health, noting that maternal and child mortality have each fallen by more than 80 per cent since the turn of the century.
"Despite the progress here in Rwanda, more than 300,000 women worldwide still die every year from complications during pregnancy and childbirth, with the vast majority of those deaths occurring in low-resource countries. Nearly five million children also die before reaching their fifth birthday," he said.
He pointed to advances in medical technology as an opportunity to reduce preventable deaths, highlighting wider access to ultrasound, oxygen therapy systems such as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), and new treatments for postpartum haemorrhage, one of the leading causes of maternal mortality.