Aga Khan University bags Sh722m science hub grant

 

By NASIBO KABALE

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The Aga Khan University (AKU) has received a Sh722 million ($6.5 million) grant to establish a modern data science hub which will use artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other emerging technologies to

improve health and care delivery in local communities.

Funded by a grant from the US National Institutes of Health, the programme will be led by AKU with partners in Kenya, the US and Canada,

The Utilising Health Information for Meaningful impact in East Africa through Data Science (or UZIMA-DS) will be the first initiative of its kind in the region that looks to leverage data science and proactively avoid adverse outcomes in maternal and newborn health and mental health.

It will also leverage machine learning, an application of artificial intelligence (AI), to identify creative solutions to aid health service providers and policymakers within resource constrained environments.

Professor Amina Abubakar, Director of the Institute for Human Development at AKU said early identification and intervention are critical to a good prognosis for all health conditions.

“However, in many low- and middle-income countries there is a dearth of tools that can be used for early identification of women, children, and young adults at risk of poor physical and mental health,” she said.