By: Precious Miracle Kargbo Sr.
Sierra Leone’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer (Clinical), Dr. Mustapha Kabba, has held discussions with Google on the potential use of artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate digital transformation in the country’s health sector, with a particular focus on improving maternal and child healthcare services.
The meeting explored opportunities for collaboration in leveraging AI-powered technologies to enhance healthcare delivery, strengthen clinical decision-making, and improve health outcomes for mothers and children across Sierra Leone.
The engagement comes as the Government of Sierra Leone continues to prioritise maternal and child health as a central pillar of its national health agenda. Over the years, the country has implemented various initiatives aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality through increased access to healthcare facilities, the deployment of skilled health workers, and the use of data-driven decision-making.
Digital transformation has become an increasingly important component of these efforts. Across West Africa, health ministries are exploring innovative technologies to address persistent challenges such as patient tracking, shortages of healthcare professionals, delayed diagnoses, and inefficient referral systems.
Artificial intelligence is emerging as a valuable tool in supporting healthcare delivery. AI-powered systems can help identify high-risk pregnancies at an early stage, provide community health workers with clinical decision-support tools, improve medical record management, and deliver real-time data to support antenatal and postnatal care.
In addition, AI can strengthen the management of essential medicines and vaccine supply chains while improving health information systems that are critical for monitoring maternal and child health outcomes at both district and national levels.
Google has supported digital health initiatives in several countries by providing cloud computing infrastructure, data analytics, and AI technologies that enhance healthcare delivery, particularly in low-resource settings.
The discussions between Dr. Kabba and Google reflect a shared interest in exploring how these technologies can be adapted to Sierra Leone’s healthcare system to improve service delivery and expand access to quality maternal and child health services.
No specific agreements, implementation timeline, or project details were announced following the meeting. However, the engagement signals Sierra Leone’s continued commitment to harnessing digital innovation and emerging technologies to strengthen its healthcare system and improve outcomes for mothers and children.