Audere

??LIVE and changing what’s possible for healthcare access in South Africa. Three types of AI. One radically human-centered solution. Our self-care from anywhere program—developed in partnership with Shout-It-Now—is officially launched and already rewriting the playbook for how young people access care. Why it matters: Adolescent girls and young women in South Africa face mounting barriers to sexual and reproductive health—now worsened by shrinking resources. This innovative digital multimodal AI toolkit meets them where they are, blending privacy, agency, and support across HIV, interpersonal violence, mental health, and more. All accessible on their terms, including HIV self-testing and rapid linkage to clinicians when they choose. This isn’t a pilot. It’s a leap - at a critical time for ramping up efforts to end the HIV epidemic ??? ???? A massive thank you to the Gates Foundation and Maaya Sundaram for backing bold innovation, to our behavioural science partners at Indlela Project HE2RO, to our partners across the AI spectrum including Phylaxis, CHAPS - Centre for HIV/AIDS Prevention Studies & IndiVillage Tech Solutions, to Wondfo for your generous RDT donation, and to the many young people across South Africa who co-designed with us over the last year! This is what it looks like when tech truly shifts power to the people ???? #HIVPrevention #AIForGood #Selfcare?#SCFA

? Reminder: Our Director of Product?Shawna Cooper will be participating in this exciting Virtual Launch of the GenAI for Health in LMICs white paper tomorrow (26 March) - which features our Self-Care from Anywhere Program as one of the case studies ???? ? Released by Stanford Center for Digital Health (CDH), supported by Advancing Health Online (AHO) in partnership with the Bay Area Global Health Alliance,?the paper synthesizes findings from the extensive research conducted from Aug-Dec 2024, including roundtable discussions, in-depth interviews with dozens of sector leaders, and an analysis of more than 250 GenAI projects worldwide to answer the questions: ??Where is GenAI currently being used and what are the greatest successes?? ??How can we realize greater impact and unlock the full potential of GenAI, both for behavior change and broader healthcare applications? ?? Join the?virtual discussion on Wednesday, March 26 from 8:30-10am PT to review the findings and hear from implementers and funders in this space. ??Register to attend here: https://lnkd.in/gFZmHZgY ?? Download and read the white paper here: https://lnkd.in/gVFU3VPv ???????? See the other Bay Area Global Health Alliance Member case studies here: https://bit.ly/4c1vIql #GenAIforLMICHealth

Bridging the Gap: Co-Designing for?HIV & TB Health?in?South Africa In South Africa, getting more?people?onto HIV treatment is critical to achieving the UNAIDS targets—yet only?79% of people?who know they have HIV are currently on treatment.?Stigma, negative experiences in the clinic, and structural barriers keep?many from?accessing life-saving care ??? Last month, alongside Population Services International, Matchboxology, and HSRC (Human Sciences Research Council), we joined an incredible?group of partners in South Africa for a co-design workshop focused on HIV testing, treatment, and prevention, as well as HIV/TB coinfection—all through the lens of?engaging them to take steps which yield better outcomes. ??One key insight? Coaching works. In a landscape where?some?hesitate to visit clinics, a peer coaching model builds trust, provides encouragement, and makes services more accessible. Building on the success of Coach Mpilo?(www.coachmpilo.co.za),?we’re now aiming to expand access to relevant, relatable support by introducing an AI-powered coach on WhatsApp—stigma-free, available 24/7, and reaching those where in-person coaching isn’t available. At the heart of this work is?human-centered design—listening, learning, and adapting solutions to meet real needs. Hearing directly from coaches in the field reinforced just how vital this approach is. Their passion and commitment to supporting?others?on their journey were truly inspiring ? ?? And, of course, no fieldwork is complete without a little adventure! Showcasing dedication and perseverance, participants literally crossed a raging river in 4x4s to make these sessions happen! Huge thanks to PSI for hosting, everyone who made the?workshop a success, and the innovative?Maaya Sundaram?at the Gates Foundation for funding this work ???? #HIVCare #HumanCenteredDesign #WorldTBday Matchboxology, Indlela Project HE2RO, HSRC (Human Sciences Research Council) Shawn Malone,?Thulani Grenville - Grey,?Paris Pitsillides,?Wycliffe Waweru,?Ndumiso Madubela, Shawna Cooper, Paul Isabelli,?Letitia Greener, Hlengiwe Ngubane,?Moses N., Sarah Morris, Natalie M., Sasha Frade, PhD, Rouella Mendonca, Dino Rech,?Jacqueline Pienaar,?Alastair van Heerden,?Caroline Govathson,?Chuka Onaga,?Tshidi Chabane,?Zaynab Essack (PhD),?Dayanund Loykissoonlal ,Thebogo Mabuela, Abongile Jim

A day well spent at The World Bank Global Digital Summit yesterday! From hands-on demos to insightful conversations, our HealthPulse AI toolkit sparked meaningful discussions on the future of equitable healthcare. It was fantastic to connect with like-minded changemakers—and to catch up with some of our amazing partners and industry peers. ????A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth to engage with our AI-powered solutions! We look forward to seeing how we can work together ???? Paul Isabelli, Natalie M., Vilas Dhar, Mathilde Barge, Mary Rodriguez, MBA, The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, Johan Bjurman Bergman, CK Cheruvettolil, Sharmista Appaya

Excited to have our Self-Care from Anywhere Program included as one of the five GenAI case studies highlighted in this new white paper by Stanford Center for Digital Health (CDH), supported by AHO in partnership with the Bay Area Global Health Alliance. Scroll through the carousel below to learn more about all five case studies, or download the full report here: ?? https://lnkd.in/gVFU3VPv #GenAIforLMICHealth

If you're attending the The World Bank Global Digital Summit tomorrow, we would love to connect! ?? Stop by our booth where we will be showcasing our HealthPulse AI multi-modal toolkit designed to make equitable care more accessible for those who need it most. What to expect: ??Engage with an AI counsellor offering guidance on sexual health, well-being, and HIV support. ??Explore our Clinical Portal, which helps monitor counsellor interactions and enhances care delivery. ??See our AI-powered interpretation of malaria and HIV rapid diagnostic tests—and try capturing your own test images! Our team, including COO Paul Isabelli and Product Manager Natalie M., will be on-site to connect and answer your questions. ???Tuesday, March 18 ?? 9 AM – 4 PM | Booth #6 | ???World Bank Main Complex (MC) Building, Washington D.C. See you there! ?

The role of AI in accelerating the fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) ???? As of 2024, the world is over halfway to reaching the WHO’s 2030 goal of 100 countries eliminating at least one NTD ???? – and while elimination efforts require a multi-faceted approach, what we are especially excited about is the transformative potential of AI in this fight. For example,?our Computer Vision (CV) model for rapid test interpretation which is being piloted and implemented across Africa in partnership with local innovators, community-based organizations, and ministries of health –is yielding significant results! Enabling fast and accurate diagnosis, streamlining workflow, and optimising treatment delivery, this tech is proving to be a game-changer for populations at the last mile of care. And with the CV’s ability to interpret any standard 2 or 3-line rapid test (with 90-95% accuracy), including those for Dengue, Chagas, Rabies (all off-line with low-end phones), this tech, along with other AI solutions can play a critical role in preventing and treating NTDs - boosting efforts to reach the WHO’s 2030 goal and beyond. Let’s continue working together to bring innovation, equity, and action to the forefront of NTD elimination efforts. ?? Picture: Rwandan healthcare workers applying CV to strengthen malaria control.?

Despite the turmoil in the global health space, important work continues. The Bay Area Global Health Alliance supported research by the Stanford Center for Digital Health (CDH) exploring how GenAI can be thoughtfully integrated into health programs, and exploring the use of GenAI and health behavior change in LMICs --?with insights from partners like Audere, Viamo, Jacaranda Health, Girl Effect and Noora Health, who are on the front lines of these efforts. The white paper, which includes recommendations for #funders and #implementers, is now out! The Bay Area Global Health Alliance will be hosting a virtual discussion of the findings on March 26 from 8:30-10am PT. See below to download the paper and register for the discussion. #GenAIforLMICHealth

Bridging Healthcare Gaps with Digital Innovation Last week at HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition,?Dr.?Gina Itzikowitz, MD, AI Clinical Implementation at Audere, joined a panel discussion on?"How International Markets Are Tackling Digital Innovation and Global Health Challenges."?She shared insights on how digital health tools can expand access to care—especially in underserved communities—while emphasising the need for locally tailored adoption strategies. ??A few key takeaways: ?? AI is transforming healthcare access?– To ensure equity, AI models must be trained on diverse, locally sourced datasets to reduce bias and improve accuracy for specific populations. ?? Communication is critical?– Digital health solutions must account for local languages, slang, and cultural nuances to build trust and engagement. ?Public-private partnerships drive impact?– Collaboration between governments, startups, and healthcare providers is essential for sustainable progress. ???Scalability & sustainability matter?– Digital solutions should be designed for long-term success, not just short-term pilots. A great example of?scalable digital health innovation?is?Audere’s HealthPulse platform?- an AI-driven tool that: ?? Digitizes rapid diagnostic testing?for greater accuracy and accessibility. ?Uses?AI-powered image analysis?to enhance test interpretation. ?? Supports?real-time disease surveillance?to inform public health strategies. ?? Functions in?low-resource settings, making digital health more inclusive. As digital health continues to evolve, the key to success lies in?localisation, collaboration, and long-term impact????? Charles Aunger, Laura Macdonald, Bhanusich Chomanan