AIDEA Tech Challenge - AI in Diagnostics for Equity & Access

Health is one of the fundamental human rights and a crucial pillar of sustainable development. Yet, vast inequities in health access and outcomes persist, especially in the low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that at least half of the global population lacks access to essential health services. Furthermore, Lancet Commission on Diagnostics 2021 highlights that 47% of the global population has little to no access to diagnostics.

 

Diagnostics together with point-of-care (POC) screening tools are fundamental to early disease detection, timely intervention, effective clinical care and selection of treatment. However, despite promising steps, the full potential of the sector for bringing health equity remains largely untapped.

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a powerful and disruptive area of innovation which is poised to transform the delivery of healthcare by bridging the gaps in conventional processes, technologies and systems. Considering the fast pace of evolution of AI models as well as their integration in essential health technologies such as screening and diagnostic tools, there is a need to understand the landscape of existing and upcoming AI-enabled technologies in healthcare along with critical considerations such as safe, ethical and equitable access with appropriate governance and regulations.

The challenge seeks state-of-the-art AI-enabled screening and diagnostics innovations that can facilitate testing without the need for a high-end laboratory infrastructure and POC screening to identify disease condition at population level.