Seattle-based global health organization PATH has launched Africa’s largest AI-driven medical research project in Kenya, aiming to test if AI can improve diagnosis and treatment decisions in resource-limited primary care settings. The study, based in Nairobi, has enrolled 9,000 participants.
Using large language models (LLMs), the project analyzes patient symptoms, medical histories, healthcare records, and test results to assist doctors in developing treatment plans. Bilal Mateen, PATH’s Chief AI Officer, noted such tools might reduce misdiagnoses, emergency visits, and even mortality, but require rigorous data validation.
Preliminary results are expected by the end of the year. The trial is a collaboration between PATH, Kenya’s Pediatric Research Alliance, the University of Birmingham, and Nairobi-based healthcare provider Penda Health.
Kenya’s Health Minister stated in a statement, “AI has the potential to bridge healthcare gaps, especially in underserved areas.” This reflects growing hope that technology can address uneven access to medical expertise.
Beyond Kenya, PATH has launched a pilot in Nigeria: CHEWA, a free hotline using generative AI to provide health advice to grassroots healthcare workers without internet access, expanding AI’s reach in low-resource regions.
