Wednesday, July 31, 2024

The Grand Challenges (GC) Network, a family of global partners fostering innovation to solve key global health and development problems, has announced a group of more than fifty grant recipients leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to tackle the world’s most pressing health challenges.

In recognition of the power of the fast-evolving emerging technology, the GC Network launched an AI funding call focused on catalysing equitable AI use for improved global health outcomes. The new funding of more than USD 5 million, which will support researchers from LMICs, is provided by partners from Africa, South-East Asia, and the Americas, including Grand Challenges Africa (pan-African led by Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation)), Grand Challenges Brazil (Brazil’s Ministry of Health), Grand Challenges Canada (Government of Canada), Grand Challenges (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), Grand Challenges Ethiopia (Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health and hosted at Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI)), Grand Challenges India (India’s government, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistant Council (BIRAC)), Grand Challenges Senegal (Institut Pasteur de Dakar), Grand Challenges South Africa, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) along with global funding partners including the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, and the Pasteur Network.

This call builds on and complements the work of an initial global cohort of 50 AI innovators in global health and development supported by the Gates Foundation’s Grand Challenges program, and was informed by joint partner discussions on the need for an equitable and responsible approach to the use of AI, and specifically Large Language Models (LLMs), in LMICs.  

Over the next 12 months, these 50+ researchers and innovators will work to harness the power of AI to advance bold new solutions to entrenched and emerging challenges alike.

The funded AI-led innovations cut across clinical decision support, health systems strengthening, health communications and patient journeys, support to frontline workers, public health and policy making, clinical trials, diagnostics, and population health. These innovations respond to key health challenges including:

• Improving the accessibility and quality of healthcare services.
• Empowering individuals to take control of their health and well-being.
• Fostering research and innovation in global and digital health.
• Addressing unique healthcare challenges faced by communities in LMICs.

About the Grand Challenges Network of Partners:

The Grand Challenges network of partners supports innovative solutions to “Grand Challenges” in health and development with a vision for a world where local, regional, and global innovation ecosystems are thriving and fostering solutions in the places where they will have the most impact. Together, Grand Challenges (GC) partners have invested US$1.6 billion, awarding 3,800 grants to a diverse pool of scientists and researchers in 118 countries.

See the Official Announcement Here: Grand Challenges: Catalyzing equitable AI use for improved global health grants awarded | Science for Africa Foundation

See the List of Grantees Here: Awards | Global Grand Challenges