NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – Global health leaders emphasized the importance of a nation-led approach to artificial intelligence in combating diseases during a session at the UN General Assembly in New York. The event gathered health ministers, funders, diagnostics experts, and public health specialists. The Global Institute for Disease Elimination, the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, and Nigeria’s government co-hosted the gathering. Attendees discussed how AI could enhance disease monitoring, inform health decisions, and allocate scarce resources more effectively.
Representing Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, Michael Adekunle Charles, CEO of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, delivered remarks. He underscored the need for national control over decisions related to integrating new technologies into health systems. Nigeria is also advancing its Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, which focuses on primary healthcare and domestic health financing. The participants agreed that deployment of AI tools should be driven by national priorities, health system capacity, and local conditions.
The discussion also covered the essential infrastructure required for scaling up AI applications in public health. Topics included data infrastructure, workforce skills, integration within health systems, and financing for sustainable programs. The latest WHO malaria assessment estimates that in 2024, there will be 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths worldwide. The WHO African Region remains responsible for the largest portion of this global burden, with Nigeria recording the highest estimated number of malaria cases among countries in the region.
Leadership training initiatives in AI aim to empower public health officials
GLIDE announced two new AI training programs designed for national program managers and public health professionals. The GLIDE Leadership Excellence in AI for Health program targets senior decision-makers and will be held in Abu Dhabi from January 17 to 22, 2027. The first residential cohort will include 25 to 30 participants. The program emphasizes AI governance, deployment strategies, institutional readiness, and accountability, rather than instructing on how to develop AI models.
Another initiative, AI for All, was created by Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and adapted in collaboration with GLIDE for health professionals. This online course features four modules and requires no coding skills or technical background. Its curriculum covers AI basics, generative AI tools, bias, privacy, accountability, and human oversight. The goal is to equip health workers with practical knowledge to evaluate and implement AI solutions within public health organizations.
Partnership between GLIDE and RBM formalizes cooperation on malaria efforts
During the New York session, GLIDE and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria also signed a letter of mutual understanding. This agreement links technical expertise, AI innovation, and capacity-building initiatives with national malaria control priorities. Its focus is on supporting country-led efforts for malaria prevention and elimination. The initiative aligns with the WHO’s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria, which aims to reduce malaria cases and fatalities by 2030.
Participants also explored AI’s potential in addressing malaria, polio, and neglected tropical diseases amidst financial constraints on health and humanitarian budgets. The discussions highlighted the importance of enhanced disease surveillance, targeted interventions, and optimal use of available resources. Emphasis was placed on empowering national health authorities to lead decisions related to technology adoption and implementation. The collective efforts, combining training, technical support, and country-specific leadership, form the core of the initiative announced during the UN General Assembly meeting.