Across the Global South, governments are experimenting with how AI can detect risks earlier, allocate resources more effectively, and extend the reach of care. But the central finding of this report is that AI cannot compensate for weak public health systems. It can only build on what is already institutionally, digitally, and politically in place.
Foundations & Futures includes:
- Readiness Scan of 83 countries across Africa, South and Southeast Asia, Latin America and Middle East against five key indicators: AI policy, connectivity, interoperability, health data availability, and digital health workforce capacity.
- Rapid Use-Case Landscape Scan which identified and analyzed 264 AI-related public health applications.
- Country-level examples from Rwanda, India, Rio de Janeiro and Recife, Brazil to illustrate what becomes possible when foundations and use cases align.
These inputs ground a Discussion and Framework that organizes AI readiness as a set of foundational capabilities at two levels—within the public health system and across the wider national digital ecosystem—and sets out three principles for governments, funders and partners.
Visit our Office of Global Innovation website and learn more about the Foundations and Futures report: