NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – Global health leaders leveraged a UN General Assembly event to advocate for nations to lead the integration of artificial intelligence in efforts to eliminate diseases. The gathering united ministers, public health professionals, funders, and diagnostics specialists. The Global Institute for Disease Elimination, also known as GLIDE, co-hosted the conference with the RBM Partnership to End Malaria and Nigeria. Key topics included disease surveillance, resource management, health planning, and the prerequisites for responsible AI deployment.
Participants emphasized that governments should steer the decision-making process regarding how health systems adopt and utilize AI tools. Michael Adekunle Charles, CEO of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, spoke on behalf of Nigeria’s health minister, Muhammad Ali Pate. Nigeria is actively pursuing its Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, which addresses primary healthcare, health financing, workforce enhancement, and improved data systems. Attendees also underlined the importance of aligning emerging technologies with existing national health priorities.
The discussion focused on the essential requirements for expanding AI use in disease control programs. Reliable data, well-trained health personnel, sustainable funding, and integration with current systems were identified as critical. Malaria remains a prominent concern for international health agencies. According to WHO estimates, there were 282 million malaria cases globally in 2024, resulting in 610,000 deaths. The WHO African Region bore the majority of this burden, with Nigeria recording the highest estimated number of malaria cases.
New AI initiatives target health leadership development
GLIDE announced two new training programs aimed at boosting AI literacy among public health leaders. The GLIDE Leadership Excellence in AI for Health program is scheduled to bring senior decision-makers to Abu Dhabi from January 17 to 22, 2027. The inaugural residential cohort will consist of 25 to 30 participants. The curriculum will cover AI governance, institutional readiness, deployment strategies, and accountability measures. It is designed for officials responsible for health policy and national disease programs.
Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence partnered with GLIDE to develop a second training initiative, AI for All, tailored for public health practitioners. This online course includes four modules and does not require coding skills. It introduces fundamental AI concepts, generative AI, bias, privacy, accountability, and human oversight. The program provides health professionals with a foundational understanding to evaluate AI tools in public health contexts and guides organizations in assessing technology before integrating it into routine activities.
Malaria elimination effort expands through technical collaboration
During the New York meeting, GLIDE and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria formalized their partnership through a letter of mutual understanding. This agreement connects technical expertise, innovation, and capacity-building efforts with national malaria strategies. It aims to support country-led malaria control and elimination initiatives. The collaboration also aligns with the WHO’s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria, which aims to cut malaria cases and fatalities by 2030 while strengthening surveillance and health system resilience.
The broader dialogue also addressed the roles of AI in combating polio and neglected tropical diseases, alongside malaria. Attendees explored how AI can enhance surveillance, improve program management, and optimize resource distribution. The event underscored the importance of empowering national health authorities in technology decision-making. Organizers stressed the need for training and building institutional capacity as countries evaluate new digital tools. The initiatives announced in New York linked AI education, technical cooperation, and national leadership to ongoing efforts in eliminating preventable infectious diseases.