NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – Global health officials leveraged a UN General Assembly gathering to advocate for countries to lead the integration of artificial intelligence in strategies aimed at eliminating diseases. The event brought together ministers, public health specialists, funders, and diagnostics experts. The Global Institute for Disease Elimination, known as GLIDE, co-hosted the meeting alongside the RBM Partnership to End Malaria and Nigeria. Key topics included disease surveillance, health system planning, resource management, and the prerequisites for the responsible deployment of AI technologies.
Speakers emphasized that governments should steer decisions on the adoption and oversight of AI tools within healthcare systems. Michael Adekunle Charles, CEO of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, addressed the audience on behalf of Nigeria’s health minister, Muhammad Ali Pate. Nigeria continues to implement its Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, which encompasses primary healthcare, health financing, workforce development, and enhancements to data infrastructure. Attendees also underlined the importance of aligning emerging technological solutions with existing national health priorities.
Discussions focused on the practical essentials for expanding AI use across various disease control initiatives. Identified core needs included access to reliable data, a skilled healthcare workforce, sustainable funding, and seamless integration with current health systems. Malaria remains a primary concern for global health organizations. According to estimates from the World Health Organization, there were 282 million malaria cases worldwide in 2024, resulting in 610,000 deaths. The WHO African Region bore the majority of this burden, with Nigeria recording the highest estimated number of malaria cases.
New AI initiatives center on health leadership development
GLIDE also launched two educational programs aimed at bolstering AI expertise among public health leaders. Its GLIDE Leadership Excellence in AI for Health initiative will host senior decision-makers in Abu Dhabi from January 17 to 22, 2027. The inaugural residential cohort will consist of approximately 25 to 30 participants. The training curriculum covers AI governance, organizational preparedness, deployment strategies, and accountability measures. It specifically targets officials responsible for health policy and national disease programs.
Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence partnered with GLIDE to develop the second program, AI for All, designed for public health professionals. This online course features four modules and does not require prior coding experience. It addresses fundamental AI concepts, generative AI, bias, privacy, accountability, and human oversight. The curriculum aims to provide health professionals with a foundational understanding to evaluate AI tools within public health contexts. It also explores how organizations can assess technological solutions before integrating them into standard practices.
Malaria collaboration enhances technical support
During the New York meeting, GLIDE and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria formalized their cooperation by signing a letter of mutual understanding. This agreement links technical expertise, innovative approaches, and capacity-building efforts with national priorities for malaria control and elimination. It supports country-led initiatives in line with the World Health Organization’s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria, which aims to reduce cases and fatalities through 2030, while strengthening surveillance systems and health infrastructure.
The broader dialogue also addressed polio and neglected tropical diseases alongside malaria. Participants examined how AI can enhance disease surveillance, inform programmatic decisions, and optimize resource distribution. The event maintained a focus on empowering national health authorities in technological decision-making. Organizers highlighted the importance of training and institutional capacity-building as countries evaluate new digital solutions. Overall, the initiatives announced during the New York gathering connect AI education, technical collaboration, and national leadership efforts with ongoing campaigns to eliminate preventable infectious diseases.