News

AI Partnership Aims to Improve Global Health Outcomes

• By John K. Waters
• 08/07/2024

The BroadReach Group and BAO Systems have announced a partnership aimed at enhancing healthcare operations and workforce efficiency through AI-driven technology. This collaboration will leverage the AI-powered DHIS2 system to optimize healthcare performance and resource utilization across multiple continents, the companies said.

DHIS2 is an open-source project developed through a collaboration between the HISP Centre at the University of Oslo (UiO) and the global HISP network. More than 80 countries worldwide use DHIS2 for collecting and analyzing health data, the website states. 3.2 billion people (40% of the world’s population) live in countries where DHIS2 is used. DHIS2 is provided free of charge as a global public good.

BAO Systems has developed several key products such as the BAO Analytics Platform, the Dharma Platform for mobile data collection, and various tools for DHIS2 hosting and integration.

"Our collaboration with BroadReach Group marks a significant step forward in leveraging data and AI to enhance health system performance," said Steffen Tengesdal, co-founder and CEO of BAO Systems, in a statement. "By combining our expertise in DHIS2 with BroadReach’s AI-driven platform, Vantage, we aim to unlock the value of existing ICT platforms and data streams, providing next-generation insights and improving health outcomes globally.” Together, BroadReach Group and BAO Systems will unlock the value within existing ICT platforms and data streams, such as DHIS2, offering next-generation insights and improved health outcomes."

BroadReach Group operates through two businesses: Vantage Health Technologies and BroadReach Health Development. BAO Systems is a leading provider of digital data solutions aimed at improving health and development outcomes.

"In the evolving landscape of global health, digital innovation emerges as a beacon of hope, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in healthcare accessibility and quality," Chris LeGrand, CEO of BroadReach Group, in a statement. "We are honored to partner with BAO Systems to drive advancement in how AI can add value to our customers and ultimately better health outcomes."

The initiative will initially focus on HIV prevention, care, treatment, and reproductive health. By integrating AI from Vantage Health Technologies, a division of BroadReach Group, with DHIS2—an extensive health information management system used in over 100 countries—the partnership seeks to transform healthcare delivery.

In the announcement, Paul Bhuhi, Managing Director of Vantage Health Technologies, highlighted the collaboration’s goal of using ethical AI to enhance health system performance.