NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – Global health officials emphasized the importance of a country-driven approach to artificial intelligence in combating diseases during an event at the UN General Assembly in New York. The gathering included health ministers, funding organizations, diagnostics leaders, and public health specialists. The Global Institute for Disease Elimination, the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, and the Nigerian government jointly hosted the discussions. Attendees examined how AI could enhance disease monitoring, inform health decisions, and optimize resource allocation for critical needs.
Michael Adekunle Charles, CEO of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, spoke on behalf of Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate. His remarks stressed the significance of national control over decisions regarding health system adoption of emerging technologies. Nigeria is also rolling out its Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, focusing on primary healthcare and domestic health financing. Participants agreed that AI deployment should be guided by national priorities, health system capacity, and specific local contexts.
Discussions also covered the infrastructure necessary to expand AI applications in public health. Topics included data management systems, workforce development, integration within existing health systems, and sustainable financing for effective programs. The latest World Health Organization malaria assessment estimated 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths globally in 2024. The WHO African Region remains the most burdened, with Nigeria recording the highest estimated malaria case count among countries in the region.
AI training initiatives aim to empower public health leaders
GLIDE unveiled two AI-focused training programs targeting national program managers and public health practitioners. The GLIDE Leadership Excellence in AI for Health program is designed for senior health decision-makers and will be held in Abu Dhabi from January 17 to 22, 2027. The initial residential cohort will include 25 to 30 participants. The course emphasizes AI governance, implementation strategies, organizational readiness, and accountability, rather than teaching participants how to develop AI models.
Another initiative, AI for All, developed by Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and tailored with GLIDE, offers an online program for public health professionals. Consisting of four modules, the course requires no prior coding or technical expertise. It covers AI basics, generative AI tools, issues of bias, privacy concerns, accountability, and human oversight. The curriculum aims to equip health workers with practical skills to evaluate and implement AI solutions within public health settings.
GLIDE and RBM formalize collaboration to combat malaria
During the New York session, GLIDE and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria signed a letter of mutual understanding. This framework links technical expertise, AI innovation, and capacity-building initiatives with national malaria control priorities. The agreement emphasizes supporting country-led efforts to control and eliminate malaria. It also aligns with the World Health Organization’s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria, which aims to reduce malaria cases and fatalities worldwide through 2030.
Participants also explored AI’s role in addressing malaria, polio, and neglected tropical diseases amid tight health and humanitarian budgets. The focus remained on enhancing surveillance, enabling targeted interventions, and making better use of available resources. Decision-making around technology adoption and implementation was placed squarely in the hands of national health authorities. The main thrust of the new initiative, announced during the UN General Assembly, combines training, technical cooperation, and leadership at the country level to advance disease control efforts.