Research priorities for data science and artificial intelligence in global health: an international consensus exercise
Applications of data science and artificial intelligence (AI) in global health are expanding, yet research remains fragmented and often misaligned with the needs of low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). To address this misalignment, we conducted a global research priority-setting exercise using the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) method. 155 research ideas were scored by 51 experts based on feasibility, potential impact on disease burden, paradigm shift potential, implementation potential, and equity. Top-ranked priorities focused on epidemic preparedness, including AI-based outbreak prediction, improved diagnostics for infectious diseases, and early-warning systems. Other highly ranked topics included AI-assisted resource allocation, telemedicine, culturally adapted mobile health services, and chronic disease management tools. Experts from LMICs prioritised infectious disease control and diagnostic equity, whereas experts from high-income countries emphasised infrastructure and climate-related analytics. The resulting agenda provides a roadmap for aligning AI and data science research with global health priorities, particularly in LMICs.
Authors
- Apostolos Tsiachristas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4662-8915)
- Nataša Buljan
- Oluchi Joan Kanma-Okafor (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5239-6073)
- Florencia Borrescio-Higa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7521-9750)
- Brane Kalpič
- Josipa Vlasac Glasnović
- Zhi Xiang Ng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9423-7206)
- Anthony Muchai Manyara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6276-926X)
- Obianuju Beatrice Ozoh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7865-4771)
- Abdulkarim Jafar Karim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3307-0016)
- Wiriya Mahikul (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5834-5173)
- Denan Jiang
- Adams Bodomo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3807-3681)
- Stjepan Orešković (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9315-875X)
- Kurubaran Ganasegeran (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9480-1815)
- Awsan Bahattab (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1708-0978)
- Davies Adeloye (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1316-8139)
- Marie Buchtova (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9497-7618)
- Jay Park (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5454-014X)
- Chinonso Nwamaka Igwesi-Chidobe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8021-0283)
- Per Ole Iversen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7153-0242)
- Christopher J Graham (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1144-7970)
- Mili Sanwalka
- Abdul Tawab Khpalwak (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8276-719X)
- Yajie Zhu
- Eamon Sheikh
- Peige Song
- Saturnino Luz
- Sajjad Ali
- Mila Nu Nu Htay
- Zeus Aranda
- Sandro Vento
- Rosliza Abdul Manaf
- Omolade Allen
- Sohaila Cheema
- Steven Kerr
- Anton Glasnović
- Mark Tomlinson
- Liang Wang
- Jingyi Xu
- Marie Laurette Agbre-Yace
- Rosnah Sutan
- Klara Rudan
- Nellie Myburgh
- Holly Tibble
- Chulwoo Park
- Prince Peprah
- Syed Ahmar Shah
- Aziz Sheikh
- Winifred Ekezie
- Vaishali Deshmukh
- Balasankar Ganesan
- Mohammad Mainul Islam
- Bala Munipalli
- Ting Shi
- Igor Rudan
- Jiali Zhou
- Danladi Adamu Bojude
- Giuseppe Lanza
- Lina Díaz-Castro
- Gregor š tiglic
Institutions
- Ministry of Health (MY)
- Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro” (IT)
- Oslo University Hospital (NO)
- University of Vienna (AT)
- Universiti Putra Malaysia (MY)
- University of Baghdad (IQ)
- University of Bradford (GB)
- Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (GB)
- Charles Sturt University (AU)
- University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (MY)
- Hangzhou Normal University (CN)
- Aston University (GB)
- University of Zagreb (HR)
- The George Institute for Global Health (GB)
- University of the Witwatersrand (ZA)
- Cancer Council Victoria (AU)
- University of Lagos (NG)
- Peking University (CN)
- University of Dhaka (BD)
- Adolfo Ibáñez University (CL)
- University Hospital Dubrava (HR)
- University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (MY)
- WinnMed (US)
- University of Manchester (GB)
- University of Cyprus (CY)
- University of Bristol (GB)
- University of Maribor (SI)
- University of Catania (IT)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Queens University (BD)
- Ministère de la Santé et de l'Hygiène Publique (CI)
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics (CN)
- Chulabhorn Hospital (TH)
- Hospital Seberang Jaya (MY)
- Manipal University College Malaysia (MY)
- Swiss Centre for Scientific Research (CI)
- University Clinical Centre Maribor (SI)
- Institut National de Santé Publique (CI)
- Institut Pasteur de Côte d'Ivoire (CI)
- Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences (CN)
- Mayo Clinic in Florida (US)
- Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (QA)
- Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz (MX)
- Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University (CN)
- Peking University Sixth Hospital (CN)
- INCLEN Trust International (IN)
- Swinburne University of Technology (AU)
- IMU University (MY)
- IEDC-Bled School of Management (SI)
- The University of Tokyo (JP)
- University of Hradec Králové (CZ)
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County (US)
- Teesside University (GB)
- Gombe State University (NG)
- Manash Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University (KZ)
- Ziauddin University (PK)
- Tecnológico de Monterrey (MX)
- University of Edinburgh (GB)
- Macquarie University (AU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- The Lancet Global Health
- Published
- 2026-02-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/s2214-109x(25)00473-5
- Primary Topic
- Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- University of Baghdad
- University of Cyprus
- Government of the United Kingdom
- Chulabhorn Royal Academy
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- Imperial College London
- University of Bristol
- Università di Catania
- Universitetet i Oslo
- University of Dhaka
- School of Public Health, Imperial College London