Rwanda will implement artificial intelligence technology in over 50 health clinics as part of a new initiative by the Gates Foundation to aid 1,000 clinics throughout Africa, aiming to enhance healthcare services.

The technology aims to enhance clinical judgment instead of substituting it, while also boosting efficiency in a health system that is already under strain, Andrew Muhire, a senior official from Rwanda's Ministry of Health, according to reports.

Rwanda currently has one healthcare worker for every 1,000 patients, which is significantly lower than the globally suggested ratio of 4 per 1,000.

On Wednesday, the Gates Foundation and OpenAI unveiled a new initiative called Horizons1000, which is jointly funded with $50 million for two years. Bill Gates stated that the initiative will assist in bridging the health disparity gap.

"In low-income nations facing significant shortages of healthcare professionals and inadequate health system infrastructure, AI has the potential to revolutionize access to quality care," Gates stated in a blog post regarding the launch.

Muhire referred to it as a "transformative opportunity" that will enhance citizens' access to healthcare, "minimize administrative load" and assist medical professionals in making "more precise and timely decisions."

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Nonetheless, digital specialists are concerned about AI technology utilizing the English language, which is not commonly spoken in Rwanda.

Audace Niyonkuru, CEO of the AI and open data firm Digital Umuganda, informed the AP that initiatives are in progress to create AI technologies in Kinyarwanda, the language utilized by roughly 75 percent of Rwanda's inhabitants.

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"Implementing AI technologies that function outside of Kinyarwanda would create a significant obstacle to delivering effective care," he stated.

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Despite the initiative's potential, concerns persist over the AI's English language reliance, not widely spoken in Rwanda. Efforts are underway to integrate Kinyarwanda, spoken by 75 percent of the population, into AI technologies, as per Audace Niyonkuru, CEO of Digital Umuganda, to prevent any barriers in effective healthcare delivery.