An African Centre for Excellence in Artificial Intelligence 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is anticipated to have a considerable impact on ophthalmology and on almost every ocular condition. However, currently there are no African institutions or African researchers leading ophthalmic AI development and research programmes.

Our aim is to change this by establishing Africa’s first Centre of Excellence for Ophthalmic AI research.

Based in Tanzania, this project will bring together two leading institutions who collectively have ophthalmic clinical research experience and data science expertise but are currently working entirely separately.

We will help to facilitate a collaborative research partnership between Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) and Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), enabling Tanzanian-led ophthalmic AI research to be undertaken using African data and led by African researchers.

The project will:

• Support data science expertise at MUHAS to conduct collaborative Tanzanian-led ophthalmic AI research
• Develop KCMC’s ability to collect, curate and grade ophthalmic imaging data in a manner that can sustainably support AI research by establishing an Ophthalmic Reading Centre at KCMC
• Strengthen local research capacity to support African-led ophthalmic AI research through PhD level training for a Tanzanian ophthalmologist

As an initial activity for the group, a research programme will be carried out on diabetic retinopathy and the development, application and evaluation of ophthalmic AI models for the condition. The current published research on AI and eye care in Africa has focused on diabetic retinopathy, but none of the devices evaluated in these studies have been trained using African data nor have they been developed by African researchers.

Collectively it is hoped that this new research hub will improve outcomes for eye diseases in Africa, while creating a long-term collaboration that can increase skills in artificial intelligence in Tanzania and beyond, ensuring health capacity for the future.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Velux Stiftung for funding for this project and our partners in Tanzania for their continued collaboration and guidance.