HURIC-Uganda called for a partner’s meeting, with the aim of drafting recommendations to be shared to Ministry of Health in order to revise the Ministry of Health strategic plan to include and consider the ethical and responsible use of digital technology in the health sector.

Objectives

The main objective of the project was to organize a knowledge sharing and exchanging workshop with various stakeholders, including health professionals, researchers, policy makers, civil society organizations, and media representatives, to discuss the opportunities and challenges of AI in health care, and to draft recommendations to the Ministry of Health towards regulations and policy on AI in health.

Methodology

The workshop was held on 17th November 2022 at the HURIC offices in Rubaga Division, Plot 261 Prof. Yusuf Lule Lane, Makamba zone. The workshop was facilitated by HURIC staff and invited experts on AI and health. The workshop followed a participatory and interactive approach, using presentations, group discussions, case studies, and plenary sessions.

Results

The workshop was attended by 20 participants from different sectors and backgrounds, as shown in the attendance list in Annex 2. The workshop generated lively and constructive debates on the benefits and risks of AI in health care, such as improving diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases, enhancing access and quality of health services, reducing costs and human errors, but also posing ethical, legal, social, and human rights challenges, such as privacy, consent, accountability, bias, discrimination, and autonomy. The workshop also identified some of the gaps and needs in the current regulatory and policy framework on AI in health in Uganda, such as lack of awareness, capacity, standards, guidelines, oversight mechanisms, and stakeholder engagement. The workshop produced a draft set of recommendations to the Ministry of Health on how to address these issues and ensure that AI in health is used in a way that respects human rights and promotes public health. The draft recommendations are attached as Annex 3.

Conclusion

The workshop was a successful and fruitful event that achieved its objectives and contributed to the project goal of engaging partners in health activism. The workshop provided a platform for knowledge sharing and exchanging among diverse stakeholders on a timely and relevant topic of AI in health. The workshop also produced valuable inputs for policy advocacy and dialogue with the Ministry of Health on developing regulations and policy on AI in health that are human rights-based and evidence-informed. The workshop report will be disseminated to all participants and relevant stakeholders for feedback and follow-up actions.