NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – Global health leaders leveraged a UN General Assembly gathering to advocate for countries to lead the adoption of artificial intelligence in efforts to eliminate diseases. The event convened ministers, public health experts, funders, and diagnostics specialists. The Global Institute for Disease Elimination, known as GLIDE, co-hosted the gathering alongside the RBM Partnership to End Malaria and Nigeria. Discussions centered on disease surveillance, health system planning, resource distribution, and the essential conditions for responsible AI deployment.
Participants emphasized that governments must steer decisions regarding how health systems incorporate and oversee AI tools. Michael Adekunle Charles, CEO of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, presented remarks on behalf of Nigeria’s health minister, Muhammad Ali Pate. Nigeria is actively advancing its Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, which encompasses primary healthcare improvements, health financing strategies, workforce development, and enhanced data systems. Attendees also stressed the importance of aligning emerging technologies with existing national health priorities.
The discussion highlighted practical needs for broader AI integration into disease control programs. Key elements identified included dependable data sources, adequately trained health personnel, sustainable financial support, and seamless integration with current health systems. Malaria remains a major concern for international health agencies. The World Health Organization estimates that in 2024, there were 282 million malaria cases worldwide, resulting in 610,000 deaths. The WHO African Region bore the majority of this burden, with Nigeria recording the highest estimated malaria case numbers.
New AI Initiatives Prioritize Leadership Development in Health
GLIDE launched two training programs aimed at enhancing artificial intelligence expertise among public health leaders. The GLIDE Leadership Excellence in AI for Health program will bring senior decision-makers to Abu Dhabi from January 17 to 22, 2027. The initial residential cohort will consist of 25 to 30 participants. The training covers AI governance, organizational readiness, deployment strategies, and accountability measures. It is designed for officials responsible for health policy and national disease management programs.
Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence collaborated with GLIDE to develop the second program, AI for All, aimed at public health professionals. This online course comprises four modules and requires no prior coding experience. It addresses fundamental AI concepts, generative AI, bias, privacy, accountability, and human oversight. The curriculum provides health professionals with a foundation for evaluating AI tools in public health contexts and understanding how organizations can assess technology before adopting it into routine operations.
Partnership Extends Technical Support for Malaria Elimination
During the New York meeting, GLIDE and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria signed a letter of mutual understanding. This agreement aims to connect technical expertise, innovation, and capacity-building efforts with national malaria priorities. It reinforces country-led malaria control and elimination initiatives and aligns with the World Health Organization’s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria. This strategy aims to reduce malaria cases and deaths through 2030 by strengthening surveillance and health system resilience.
The broader discussion also addressed polio and neglected tropical diseases alongside malaria. Attendees explored how AI can enhance disease surveillance, inform program decisions, and better allocate resources. The event kept national health authorities at the forefront of technological decision-making. Organizers underscored the importance of training and institutional capacity as countries consider adopting new digital tools. The initiatives announced in New York integrated AI education, technical cooperation, and national leadership into ongoing efforts to eliminate preventable infectious diseases.