AI for public health: Who announces the creation of a new collaborating center on AI for health governance

A Promising Announcement

On March 6, 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the creation of a new collaborating center focused on artificial intelligence (AI) applied to health governance. This initiative aims to support countries in the responsible and ethical use of AI to improve public health decision-making, optimize resource management, and strengthen the resilience of health systems.

In a context where digital technologies are transforming medical practices, this announcement marks a crucial milestone. It addresses an urgent need: to regulate the use of AI in a way that maximizes its benefits while minimizing its risks.

“L’IA peut être un véritable catalyseur de ju“AI can be a true catalyst for health equity if deployed with ethics, inclusion, and scientific rigor.”
— Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO

AI and Health Governance: What Are We Talking About?

Health governance encompasses the mechanisms for steering, planning, and regulating health policies. Artificial intelligence can help to:

• Predict pandemics through epidemiological data modeling;
• Optimize care pathways and hospital management;
• Automate disease surveillance;
• Identify areas of vulnerability using geospatial data.

However, without a clear framework, these tools may widen inequalities, exclude marginalized populations, or introduce algorithmic bias.

A Collaborating Center: Why and for Whom?

This center will serve as a network of expertise, providing:

• Strategic guidance to governments;
• Training for healthcare professionals;
• Guidelines on ethics, transparency, and AI system interoperability;
• Impact assessments to ensure the real-world usefulness of technologies.

It is primarily intended for ministries of health, public health agencies, universities, hospitals, and tech companies involved in the medical field.

L’Afrique au cœur de l’initiative : vers une transformation numérique inclusive

Africa, long under-equipped in health infrastructure, could greatly benefit from artificial intelligence (AI)—provided that key challenges are addressed: access to high-quality data, training of human resources, and an appropriate legal framework.

Example: Rwanda

Rwanda has already adopted a national AI strategy. In partnership with Babylon Health, the country launched an AI-powered teleconsultation service, now covering over 30% of primary care consultations in rural areas.

Another use case: AI for epidemic detection in Nigeria

Thanks to partnerships between the Nigerian Institute of Public Health and tech startups, AI algorithms are being used to anticipate outbreaks of diseases such as cholera and Lassa fever.

Cameroon: An Emerging Player in Digital Health Innovation

In Cameroon, several pilot projects are integrating AI into public health. The University of Yaoundé I, in collaboration with international researchers, is developing algorithms for the early detection of malaria using environmental and clinical data. Additionally, hospitals in Douala are testing AI-based automated triage systems to improve emergency care management.

These initiatives show that Cameroon is ready to play a strategic role in Africa’s health AI ecosystem, focusing on local training and scientific collaboration.

Key Challenges: Transparency, Security, Inclusion

Experts agree on the need to regulate the use of AI based on three key principles:

• Transparency: understanding how algorithms make decisions;
• Security: protecting health data;
• Inclusion: involving local communities in the design of tools.

This center could contribute to establishing an international standard aligned with the United Nations’ recent “Global Framework for Responsible AI” (2024).

A Collective Opportunity to Seize

The creation of this collaborating center is a strategic step forward. It calls on all stakeholders—governments, researchers, companies, and citizens—to engage in a responsible, equitable, and innovative deployment of AI. Because behind the algorithms, human lives are at stake.

Did You Know?

Less than 4% of scientific publications on AI in health focus on Africa, even though the continent accounts for 17% of the world’s population.

Keywords:

Artificial intelligence in health – Health governance – AI in public health – WHO and AI in health – Digital health transformation – AI and ethics in Africa

Sources:

• WHO (2024). Report on AI and Ethics in Health: https://www.who.int
• OECD (2023). AI in Healthcare: Opportunities and Governance
• UN Global Pulse (2024). Responsible AI for Development
• Babylon Health Rwanda Case Study (2023)
• Africa CDC & AI4Health Africa reports