The Gates Foundation, Wellcome, and Novo Nordisk Foundation have announced a joint $60 million investment to support locally led evaluations of AI health tools in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The initiative, Evidence for AI in Health (EVAH), aims to generate evidence on which AI technologies are effective, feasible, and responsible in real-world health settings.
The program focuses on mature AI tools that support frontline health workers in primary and community care, including clinical decision-making for triage, diagnosis, and referrals. Delivery partners J-PAL and the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) will coordinate applications, provide technical input, and work alongside local research teams to co-lead evaluations.
EVAH seeks to address a critical gap: few AI health tools have been rigorously evaluated in LMICs. A Lancet study found that between 2018 and 2023, only four of 86 randomized trials of AI health interventions occurred in LMICs. Without robust evidence, governments face uncertainty on safe, equitable adoption, and promising innovations risk failing to scale.
Evaluations will include implementation science studies, randomized controlled trials, economic analyses, and assessments of public and professional acceptability and trust. Findings will be shared openly, prioritizing safety, privacy, ethics, and equity.
Government and philanthropic leaders highlighted the potential of AI to improve health outcomes and reduce inequities. Dr. Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s minister of communications, emphasized that rigorous evidence is essential to guide adoption and scale. Trevor Mundel of the Gates Foundation added that safe, effective AI can accelerate the transition from innovation to scalable health solutions in vulnerable communities.
The EVAH initiative represents a strategic effort to ensure AI technologies are not only innovative but practical, contextually appropriate, and impactful for the communities that need them most.
