Every day, people across Africa turn to Google products like Search, YouTube, and Fitbit for health insights. But Google is also researching how AI can enhance healthcare outcomes and empower partners to deliver better health services in Africa.
Here’s how Google is working with African partners to explore AI-powered healthcare tools.
1. Searching for skin conditions using images: Google Lens now allows users to search for skin conditions with images across the entire African continent. Users can upload photos and discover visually similar matches, making it easier to describe skin issues visually.
2. Improving maternal health outcomes in Kenya: Google is collaborating with Jacaranda Health in Kenya to use AI models for ultrasound screenings. AI makes ultrasounds more accessible, especially in low-resource settings where trained experts are scarce.
3. Building apps for healthcare workers: Google’s Open Health Stack is aiding African healthcare developers in building digital health tools that enhance care coordination and data quality, focusing on the HL7 FHIR standard.
4. Screening for tuberculosis using AI: Google partnered with Right to Care, a not-for-profit entity experienced in TB care, to provide AI-powered TB screenings in Sub-Saharan Africa, aiming to catch the disease early and reduce its spread.
5. Supporting access to emergency obstetric care in Nigeria: Google released a tool in Nigeria, developed in collaboration with the OnTIME consortium, using Google’s internal directions API. It helps decision-makers understand travel times to emergency obstetric facilities, improving access to maternal care.