UHAS To Establish AI Centre Of Excellence

Professor Lydia Aziato and other stakeholders at the conference

 

The University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) has announced plans to establish an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre of Excellence aimed at advancing research, innovation and capacity building in healthcare delivery.

The initiative, according to the Vice-Chancellor of UHAS, Professor Lydia Aziato, forms part of efforts by the university to position Ghana as a leader in digital health transformation and promote the responsible use of emerging technologies in the health sector.

Prof. Aziato disclosed this at the opening of the three-day International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Pharma (ICAIH) held at UHAS in Ho.

The conference was organised on the theme: “Transforming Healthcare from Expenders to Healthpreneurs: Leveraging AI as the Bedrock for Regional Cooperation.”

She stated that the proposed AI Centre of Excellence would focus on cutting-edge research areas including clinical trials, drug development, sustainable health financing and health leadership.

The centre, she added, would also provide training opportunities for practising health professionals and students from other tertiary institutions to build a skilled workforce capable of driving healthcare innovation.

The Vice-Chancellor further announced that UHAS would integrate Artificial Intelligence, telemedicine and other digital technologies into its proposed UHAS Medical Centre to enhance disease diagnosis, personalised treatment and improve healthcare delivery.

She, however, cautioned that the adoption of AI in healthcare must be guided by strong ethical principles, with emphasis on patient privacy, data security and professional standards.

She said the university was ready to collaborate with local and international institutions, development partners and industry players to create a robust health innovation ecosystem capable of transforming healthcare delivery in Ghana and across Africa.

The President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, said Ghana was positioning itself as a continental trailblazer through its Artificial Intelligence for Health Programme.

The programme, launched in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other United Nations agencies, seeks to strengthen disease surveillance, improve health system resilience and promote responsible AI adoption across the healthcare value chain.

Dr. Donkor said the initiative aligns with Ghana’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025–2035 and demonstrates the country’s commitment to leveraging technology to address healthcare challenges.

He, however, stressed the need for stronger regional cooperation, noting that no country could maximise the benefits of AI without access to quality data, interoperable digital infrastructure, trusted governance frameworks and harmonised regulations.

Dr. Donkor called for the establishment of interoperable electronic health record systems supported by strong cybersecurity measures and regional centres of excellence linking universities, teaching hospitals, research institutions and private sector innovators.

He also emphasised the need to invest in training the next generation of clinicians, biomedical engineers, data scientists and entrepreneurs to lead Africa’s health technology revolution.

The Director of the Institute of Health Research (IHR) at UHAS and Epidemiologist, Professor Alexander Ansah Manu, said the conference was designed to translate Ghana’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy into practical interventions for the health sector.

He said the event brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Health, WHO, National Vaccine Institute, Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Ghana Health Service, Centre for Plant Medicine Research and other AI experts.

Prof. Manu said discussions would focus on the application of AI in maternal, newborn, child and adolescent healthcare, clinical trials, vaccine and pharmaceutical production, sustainable health financing and health leadership.

He expressed optimism that the conference would produce a national roadmap for AI adoption in healthcare while strengthening partnerships among researchers, policymakers, innovators and industry players.

 

FROM Daniel K. Orlando

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