The evidence crisis in artificial intelligence for health is stark. AI-powered triage assistants, diagnostic aids, and LLM-based symptom checkers are being deployed from Kenya to Myanmar — but without rigorous local evidence.
Of 86 randomized clinical trials on AI health tools conducted globally between 2018 and 2023, only four took place in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) — the settings where overburdened community health workers and primary care clinicians arguably need decision support most.
Governments across the region cannot confidently adopt or scale tools that haven’t been tested in their own clinical environments, languages, and workflow realities. Promising tools risk failing to move from proof-of-concept to real-world impact, wasting investments, and widening health care disparities.
$60 Million Funding from Gates, Welcome, Novo
The Evidence for AI in Health initiative is accepting proposals to evaluate AI-enabled clinical decision support tools already used by frontline workers in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
EVAH is backed by Wellcome Trust, the Gates Foundation, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation to fund two different pathways for promising AI-enabled clinical decision support tools.
- Pathway A (up to $1M USD, 3–12 months): For AI tools early in real-world deployment. Evaluates usability, workflow integration, adoption, safety, and early cost-effectiveness.
- Pathway B (up to $3M USD, 12–24 months): For tools ready to scale. Evaluates measurable effects on health outcomes, system efficiency, and equity across populations.
Both pathways require tools that are past proof-of-concept, with facility deployment partnerships already in place.
Nonprofits, for-profits, academic institutions, government agencies, and multi-actor consortia are all eligible. Proposals must be led by organizations registered and operational in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, or Southeast Asia, with at least 80% of funds flowing to regional entities.
Apply Now: Deadline is April 1 2026.
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