To explore the role of AI in public health, education, ethics, and policy, we organized a stakeholder meeting with leading scientists, researchers, and academics. The event featured expert talks, panel discussions, and breakout sessions focused on AI's applications in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. Mr. Zunaid Ahmed Palak MP, the State Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and IT, also provided his remarks, emphasizing the significance of integrating AI into these critical areas.
The meeting began with welcome remarks by our Deputy Executive Director, Dr. Senjuti Saha. Then Dr. Shams El-Arifeen, Senior Director at ICDDR,B, discussed the current status of child health in Bangladesh and the transformative potential of AI. This was followed by CHRF’s Scientist Dr. Yogesh Hooda’s presentation on democratizing public health through AI-based tools. Prof. Khondaker Abdullah-Al-Mamun from United International University shared his organization CMED Health's vision to democratize healthcare using AI. Dr. Lafifa Jamal, a professor at the University of Dhaka, took us on a journey through Bangladesh's first AI Olympiad for students in classes 8-9. Prof. Farig Yousef Sadque, Associate Professor at BRAC, concluded the talks by addressing the challenge of tackling machine learning bias.
Following the presentations, a panel discussion featured diverse perspectives from Mohammad Oli Ahad, CEO at Intelligent Machines; Dr. Maliha Mannan, Executive Editor at Coronel; Dr. B M Mainul Hossain, Professor at the University of Dhaka; and Dr. Senjuti Saha. They explored the latest developments in AI and machine learning, ethical and policy considerations, and strategies for scaling successful AI applications in public health.
To delve deeper into integrating AI into public health, we organized 3 dynamic breakout sessions. Dr. Yogesh Hooda led the session on "Opportunity Map for AI in Public Health," focusing on future collaboration projects and identifying key gaps. Dr. Fariah Mahzabeen from North South University led a session on "AI in Education and Professional Development," discussing strategies for incorporating AI into academic programs and upskilling the workforce. Ms. Shahrima Tanjin Arni from the University of Dhaka led the session on "Ethics and Policy for AI," examining current policy discussions in Bangladesh and the ethical considerations of using AI in public health.
While AI offers many use cases, effective AI use in public health requires collaboration and multidisciplinary approaches. The meeting aimed to build a safer and healthier Bangladesh by leveraging AI technologies. We extend our gratitude to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for supporting this initiative through the 'Democratizing Public Health Modeling Using AI-based Tools' grant awarded to CHRF, as we continue our mission to advance global health.
To learn more about the Grant Challenges Grant, visit:
https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenge/catalyzing-equitable-artificial-intelligence-ai-use
To learn more about CHRF's project under the grant, visit:
https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/grant/democratizing-public-health-modeling-using-ai-based-tools
To read Dhaka Tribune’s coverage of the meeting, visit:
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