The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that the African region bears the brunt of global malaria cases and deaths, with 95% and 96% respectively. In this battle against malaria, Sandra Incardona, Head of the Technical Unit, and Julie Niemczura, Deputy Director at MCD Global Health, delve into the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
AI’s Pivotal Role in Healthcare
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping various sectors, including healthcare, by enhancing patient outcomes, personalizing treatment plans, and expanding access to services. Amidst these advancements, AI is gaining recognition for its potential to revolutionize healthcare delivery, a particularly crucial consideration as malaria challenges reach a critical juncture.
The fight against malaria faces setbacks, evident in the increase in cases to 247 million in 2021, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. With emerging threats like resistance to malaria control tools and climate change-induced extreme weather events, coupled with widening funding gaps, leveraging AI becomes imperative.
Applications of AI in Malaria Control
The global malaria community has proactively embraced AI to detect and treat malaria, fostering innovation for accelerated progress.
- Early Detection and Diagnosis: AI algorithms, employed by entities like Intellectual Ventures and Noul Inc., analyze microscopic blood sample images to detect malaria parasites accurately. This aids in providing a reference method for hospitals, ensuring precise malaria diagnosis.
- Predictive Analysis and Surveillance: AI is utilized to analyze environmental and meteorological data, predicting malaria outbreak-prone areas. Initiatives like the Forecasting Healthy Futures employ AI to anticipate and mitigate health impacts in vulnerable communities.
- Drug Discovery: AI simulations expedite the discovery of new antimalarial drugs by analyzing interactions between drug compounds and malaria parasites, facilitating the identification of promising drugs for further testing.
- Healthcare Delivery Optimization: AI optimizes healthcare supply chains, ensuring the availability of essential antimalarial drugs, diagnostic tools, and insecticides in the right quantities and locations.
ScanForm: Transformative AI in Malaria Control
ScanForm, an AI-powered technology developed by QED, revolutionizes malaria control by capturing digital data from handwritten forms with a simple smartphone photo. Processing over 20 million patient records in sub-Saharan Africa, ScanForm provides real-time data for swift identification of potential malaria outbreaks, aiding in preventive strategies. The technology proves cost-effective by eliminating manual data entry, as evidenced by a Benin study.
In Kenya, ScanForm’s application in malaria testing and treatment indicators has enabled the Ministry of Health to compile crucial data on malaria prevalence, extending its usage to various healthcare activities.
Scaling Up AI Solutions for Malaria Eradication
With 95% of global malaria cases concentrated in vulnerable regions of sub-Saharan Africa, the integration of AI emerges as a potent solution. In the face of resource constraints and escalating threats, AI offers an efficient, targeted, and impactful approach to interventions, steering the fight against malaria towards a brighter future.
