Scientists, researchers and academics have emphasized the need to increase the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the healthcare sector for identifying diseases and treating patients effectively.
They have also observed that there should be extensive research on the integration of AI in public health while creating more facilities for preparing more professionals to face the challenges.
The experts shared their views, speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting, titled “AI in Public Health” organised by the Child Health Research Foundation (CHRF) in the capital on Saturday.
They took part in expert talks, panel discussions, and breakout sessions and discussed the potential applications of AI and machine learning (ML) in public health, current innovations in Bangladesh, overview of the policy framework for future innovations to devise the most effective ways of using AI.
In the breakout sessions, the experts spoke on future collaboration projects, key gaps in the field and addressing the gaps by different research and industry groups, strategies for incorporating AI at the undergraduate and graduate levels, professional education, upskilling the existing workforce and adapting to rapid progress, policy discussions around AI in Bangladesh, and ethical considerations in using AI or ML methods in public health.
The experts said AI can manage the application of preventive methods, diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and follow-up. Alongside In addition to the benefits, the speakers also discussed the limitations of AI tools, especially different forms of bias.
The discussants include Dr Shams El Arifeen, Senior Director and Senior Scientist at icddr,b; Dr Khondaker A Mamun, Professor of CSE Department at United International University (UIU); Farig Yousef Sadeque, Associate Professor at BRAC University; Dr Lafifa Jamal and Sharima Tanjin Arni of Dhaka University; Dr Fariah Mahzabeen of North South University; Mohammad Oli Ahad, CEO at Intelligent Machines; Dr Maliha Mannan, Executive Editor at Coronel, Dr BM Mainul Hossain, Professor at University of Dhaka; and Dr Senjuti Saha and Dr Yogesh Hooda of the CHRF. This meeting was part of the “Democratizing public health modeling using AI-based tools” grant made by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to CHRF.
Zunaid Ahmed Palak, the State Minister for Post, Telecommunication, and Information Technology, shared his recorded speech at the event.
Currently, AI is being used in Bangladesh’s health sector to analyze data for decision making, predict modelling for outbreaks and disease trends, customize treatment methods, and perform remote monitoring.
The speakers said Bangladesh has witnessed notable progress in mitigating deaths from diseases, but more needs to be done in rural settings where primary health services are inadequate.
Introducing AI-based software for public and private hospitals and community clinics can help develop a dataset for each patient and help doctors understand the problems very easily. With the help of AI tools, every doctor will be able to diagnose and treat patients smartly and, thus, reduce mortality and treatment costs.
They said cities have all modern facilities for diagnosis, registering a sharp rise in use of tools like radiography, ultrasound, CT scans, and MRI, but the interpretation is done manually. These interpretations can be done effectively by developing indigenous AI-based tools, assisting physicians in treating patients effectively.
While AI offers many benefits, all experts emphasized the importance of being aware of the associated risks and biases. To ensure its most effective and responsible use, incorporating basics of AI in school and university curriculum is crucial. Additionally, working in multidisciplinary teams is essential to unlocking opportunities for AI in public health, education, professional development, ethics, and policy. The diverse experts at the stakeholder meeting, including scientists, researchers, and academics, emphasized that this collaborative approach will be instrumental in building a safer, healthier Bangladesh for all.