Media Coverage

The “AI for Global Health Innovation” conference, held on July 25, 2024, at Lebanese Hospital Geitaoui-UMC, brought together over 150 experts to explore AI’s transformative role in global health. The event featured keynotes from Dr. Elie Salem Sokhn and Mrs. Chaitali Sinha, and panels on pandemic surveillance, public health AI applications, and policy implications. Notable presentations included AI4PEP’s lab data automation project and innovative AI models for early warning and diagnosis. The conference underscored Lebanon’s leadership in AI-driven health solutions and its potential to enhance global health outcomes.

As the IDRC masterfully explains in their article, “Each of the 15 projects within AI4PEP is designed to be inclusive, ethical and sustainable in its design and implementation. The projects also adopt an integrated One Health approach, which recognizes and responds to the interconnections between human, animal and environmental health.” read more in the full article. 

AI4PEP South Africa was featured in “The Conversation,” with an article by Dr. Bruce Mellado spotlighting their innovative work on air quality. The piece highlights the launch of the South African Consortium of Air Quality Monitoring (SACAQM) and their innovative Ai_r system, which uses sensors, IoT, and AI to monitor air quality across South Africa. With ongoing deployments in Johannesburg and plans for widespread rollout, this initiative aims to enhance public health through real-time data and predictive insights. The recognition underscores the importance of improving air quality and the impact of AI4PEP’s efforts.

The newly published paper, “Decolonizing Global AI Governance: Assessment of the State of Decolonized AI Governance in Sub-Saharan Africa,” explores the progress and challenges in integrating a decolonial approach to AI governance in the region. Authored by Gelan Ayana, Kokeb Dese, Hundessa Daba Nemomssa, and others, the study highlights limited advancements, with Rwanda showing notable progress. The paper emphasizes the need for equitable AI governance, addressing biases, and fostering local innovation. It offers recommendations for advancing decolonization in AI practices across Sub-Saharan Africa. Read the full paper.

The latest preprint from the AI4PEP Ethiopia project, “Insights and Implications from the Analysis of Acute Flaccid Paralysis Surveillance Data in Ethiopia,” examines the country’s AFP surveillance system from 2017 to 2022. The study evaluates key indicators, including non-polio AFP rates, stool specimen adequacy, and timeliness of case investigation. Special attention is given to challenges in pastoralist and conflict-affected regions. The comprehensive analysis highlights trends and provides valuable insights for enhancing polio eradication efforts.

The South African Morning presented by eNCA interviewed our very own Dr. Bruce Mellado (AI4PEP South Africa). Dr. Mellado shared the significance of his team’s project in enhancing existing governmental infrastructure with more affordable and accurate sensors with increased coverage. Stay tuned for more developments from the team!

AI4PEP South Africa was recently interviewed by CGTN Africa on the impact of their air quality monitoring devices to measure air pollution in real time.

We are excited to share our latest preprint, “Avian Influenza: Lessons from Past Outbreaks and Inventory of Data Sources, Mathematical and AI Models, and Early Warning Systems for Forecasting and Hotspot Detection.” This comprehensive review examines the ongoing H5N1 outbreak, covering past lessons, risk factors, surveillance strategies, and the role of technological advancements in improving outbreak management. We emphasize the need for a One-Health approach and enhanced global collaboration to address this critical public health challenge. Explore the full review and join us in our AI4flu network to advance our collective efforts.

The South African Morning presented by eNCA interviewed our very own Dr. Bruce Mellado (AI4PEP South Africa). Dr. Mellado shared the significance of his team’s project in enhancing existing governmental infrastructure with more affordable and accurate sensors with increased coverage. Stay tuned for more developments from the team!

SACAQM, the AI4PEP South Africa project, was recently featured on the radio, discussing the AI_r system and its role in advancing air quality monitoring. Listen to the full interview.

Our study on COVID-19 case reporting in Africa reveals that early detection rates varied significantly across the continent. We identified 21 key factors influencing reporting rates, such as GDP, healthcare resources, and internet access. Hierarchical Clustering analysis classified African countries into three main regions: northern, southern, and central, with northern Africa showing the highest early detection rates. This research highlights the impact of demographic, socioeconomic, and public health variables on COVID-19 reporting and identification.

We are excited to introduce AI-powered chatbots for symptom reporting and automated screening, directing users to nearby home healthcare services. Our WhatsApp interfaces will offer health education and advisories, while our mobile apps deliver personalized health information. We’re also integrating health information systems in hospitals and creating online data repositories with dashboards for real-time health statistics. Thanks to the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) for their support in this impactful project!

The Sunday Times has featured our Al_r air quality monitoring system, which integrates cutting-edge sensors with a cost-effective IoT network and AI-powered dashboards. These dashboards not only manage and visualize air quality data but also provide forecasts and detect anomalies that could signal potential crises or pandemics. With around 100 devices deployed across Johannesburg, Soweto, and the Highveld Priority Area, our system enhances early detection and response capabilities.

Dr. Gabriel Carrasco’s research on AI4PEP Peru was highlighted by CBS Saturday Morning. He emphasized the project’s goal to aid vulnerable populations, noting that while the developing world contributes less to carbon emissions, they face disproportionate impacts from climate change, including increased frequency of events like El Niño, flooding, and extreme heat.

Our latest systematic scoping review, “Identifying the Panorama of Potential Pandemic Pathogens and Their Key Characteristics,” led by AI4PEP Lebanon, provides a comprehensive analysis of emerging threats and their defining features.

Dr. Dickson Nsagha and Dr. Denis Nkweteyim recently spoke with My Media Prime TV, sharing insights on the impact of their project and detailing their progress to date.

“Evaluating Automatic Annotation of Lexicon-Based Models for Stance Detection in M-pox Tweets from May 1st to September 5th, 2022,” led by AI4PEP South Africa, has been accepted for publication in PLOS Digital Health.

Excited to share our latest publication on the impact of self-medication on the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 across different age groups in Gauteng, South Africa. 

Publication alert! We are excited to share the latest publication on “BioPrediction-RPI: Democratizing the Prediction of Interaction Between Non-coding RNA and Protein with End-to-end Machine Learning” from AI4PEP Brazil!

IDRC-supported research on using AI for early breast cancer detection, led by the AutoAI-Pandemics hub in Brazil, has won the award for best ongoing project at CONIC-SEMESP, recognizing its potential to improve access to AI-driven healthcare solutions in the Global South.

An IDRC-supported team in South Africa, part of the AI4PEP Network, has developed the AI_r air-quality monitoring system, a cost-effective innovation aimed at improving public health by tracking air quality. This AI-powered device, created by iThemba Labs and the University of the Witwatersrand, reduces manufacturing costs and enhances local production, making it a significant advancement in pandemic preparedness and response while addressing respiratory and cardiovascular health risks associated with poor air quality.

AI4PEP Philippines participated in a pivotal Clinical Informatics and Digital Health conference at the University of San Agustin. The conference focused on advancing digital health solutions and integrating clinical informatics to enhance healthcare delivery.

Dr. Robert Paulino-Ramirez writes about the rise of vector borne diseases such as the Dengue and Zika virus in the age of climate change in the major news outlet Listin Diario from the Dominican Republic.

Professors Ibrahima Sy (left) and Daouda Ngom (right) have been appointed Minister of Health and Social Action and Minister of the Environment and Ecological Transition respectively in the new government of Senegal.

AI4PEP teams have released a new paper titled “Exploring AI Governance in the MENA Region: Gaps, Efforts, and Initiatives” on the Social Science Research Network.

Congratulations to our Morocco Principal Investigator & reputable member of the AI4PEP cohort Prof. Yahya Tayalati on his recent appointment to the World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology.

Navigating the Governance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Asian Nations: A Focus on India, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The coverage of our World TB Day 2024 celebration! Our event equally got picked up by a top Burkina Faso media, Faso7. Join AI4PEP movement; lets#EndTB and build a healthier world!

Scientists from across the world have gathered at the Cape Town International Convention Centre for the sixth Conference on Technology and Instrumentation in Particle Physics. This is the first time that the conference is being held in Africa.

The goal is to design health-care solutions based on local data from different sources and to develop and train AI algorithms to address specific needs such as predicting outbreaks in a set region.

A new analysis of COVID-19 cases in Africa shows that for most of the continent’s countries the rate of infection was likely much higher than reported in the initial stages, found York University researchers.

The Jimma Institute of Technology at Jimma University, Ethiopia, witnessed a historic moment on September 25, 2023, with the launch of the Polio Antenna Project—an ambitious initiative aimed at transforming disease eradication efforts in Africa through the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Fana FM Radio News coverage on Polio Antenna Project Kick-off Event which was held on September 25, 2023.This project is part of a Global International Development Research Center (IDRC)-funded initiative led by the Global South AI4PEP Network, hosted by York University Canada. @IDRCCRDI @AI4PEPNetwork_Official

Jimma University and the Institute of Artificial Intelligence have announced the Polio Antenna Project to fully control polio with the help of technology.

Finfinne, September 14, 2016 (FBC) – To control polio with technology, Jimma University and Artificial Intelligence Institute have announced a project called ‘polio antenna’.

The project aims to improve polio pandemic surveillance sensitivity through the responsible use of artificial intelligence in a decolonized approach using local capacity and local data, focusing on empowering underserved groups.

Prof Bruce Mellado, chair of the local organising committee interacts with media ahead of the TIPP conference. The event brings together specialists from around the world to share best practice on Technology in Instrumentation and Particle Physics.

Address by the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation Dr Bonginkosi Nzimande on the occasion 6th technology and instrumentation in particle physics international conference, cape town – 4 September 2023

Scientists from across the world have gathered at the Cape Town International Convention Centre for the sixth Conference on Technology and Instrumentation in Particle Physics. This is the first time that the conference is being held in Africa. For more news, visit sabcnews.com and #SABCNews on all Social Media platforms.

Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation of the Republic of South Africa, Hon. Dr Blade Nzimande, will be opening the 2023 conference on Technology and Instrumentation in Particle Physics (TIPP) at the Cape Town International Conference Centre (CTICC) on Monday, 4 September.

The TIPP conference series, the science driven cross-disciplinary conference, started in Tsukuba, Japan in 2009 (TIPP 2009), followed by Chicago in 2011 (TIPP 2011), Amsterdam in 2014 (TIPP2014), Beijing in 2017 (TIPP2017) and Triumph in 2021 (TIPP2021).

The sixth iteration of the Technology and Instrumentation in Particle Physics (TIPP) conference was opened at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Monday. This is the first time that the TIPP conference has been held in Africa. (Perhaps oddly, this puts Africa on the same level as Europe, which has so far also hosted only one of the TIPP series, in 2014.)

During the last edition of the 6th Technology and Instrumentation in Particle Physics (TIPP 2023), the ATTRACT project was presented by Pablo García Tello who shared some of the lessons learnt during the two phases of this project that could prove insightful for understanding the process of managing R&D&I Innovation Ecosystems.

On Tuesday, September 12th, the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp) hosted the national final of Falling Walls Lab Brazil . The event was held at the Rectory Amphitheater, in São Paulo.

We have come to a result for the Falling Walls Lab Brazil 2023!
Denis Tavares da Silva, from FATEC, got 1st place with the project “Breaking the Wall of Fake News” and will represent Brazil in the final in Berlin.

EL NUEVO DIARIO, SANTO DOMINGO.- The Corripio Foundation Inc, resumes the delivery of the Corripio Foundation Awards, which since 2020 were interrupted by the Covid pandemic. This award recognizes the career of renowned personalities and institutions that work for the development of a common good for Dominican culture.

SANTO DOMINGO. The professor and researcher in the Health Sciences Area of ​​the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), Manuel Colomé Hidalgo, was recognized with the Corripio Foundation Award in the area of ​​Natural and Health Sciences, in the Epidemiology category.

EL NUEVO DIARIO, SANTO DOMINGO.- The Director of Epidemiology of the Pediatric Hospital Dr. Hugo Mendoza, highlighted the need to further study microcephaly in the context of the “Sica” epidemic.

Dr. Manuel Colomé was elected as the new president of the Dominican Association of Pediatric Researchers (ADIP), to lead that union during the period 2023-2026.

IMTAvH team made up of researchers César Ugarte Gil, Gabriel Carrasco and Patricia Espinoza, in collaboration with a research team from Canada, will develop a project focused on the detection of respiratory infectious diseases through an artificial intelligence application for cough monitoring.

The epidemiologist Parlo César, a native of the Caribbean country, has been one of the 20 enrolled in the veteran and in-demand course on entomology that the University of Zaragoza organizes every year in Grañén.

The 2023 Falling Walls Lab Brazil winner is a web platform by student Denis Tavares da Silva that detects fake news using machine learning. He will represent Brazil in the global final in Berlin on November 7th.

Denis Tavares da Silva, from FATEC, got 1st place with the project “Breaking the Wall of Fake News” and will represent Brazil in the final in Berlin.

The competition that rewards research and social initiatives that are a creative solution to “tear down walls” in science and technology, will take place in person on September 12th. The event will be conducted in English.

The University of Buea launched project on Artificial Intelligence

Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Digital one-health to control emerging and re-emerging infectious Diseases