The Government has called for stronger Ghana-China and West African cooperation to harness artificial intelligence (AI) and medical technology to improve healthcare delivery.
The call was made at the opening of the 2026 China-West Africa Medical and Health Industry Expo and AI Deployment and Project Cooperation Summit in Accra.
Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, Deputy Minister of Health, said advances in AI, digital health, medical technology, biotechnology and data sciences were creating opportunities to improve disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and health systems management.
She, however, said the technologies must be clinically validated, secure, affordable and suited to Ghana’s healthcare system.
“Technology must support, not replace, the judgment and human connection of health professionals,” she said, stressing that patients must remain at the centre of healthcare.
Dr Ayensu-Danquah said AI-assisted diagnostics, medical imaging, predictive analysis and digital health systems could extend specialist expertise, particularly in underserved areas.
She said Ghana’s healthcare priorities included strengthening primary healthcare and early detection, citing the 2023 STEPS survey, which recorded hypertension prevalence of 21.7 per cent and diabetes prevalence of 5.2 per cent among the population surveyed.
Dr Ayensu-Danquah said Ghana-China cooperation should move beyond importing finished medical products to include local manufacturing and assembly, technology transfer, research collaboration, professional training and investment in local technical capacity.
Such cooperation, she said, would strengthen health security, create jobs and contribute to a resilient healthcare system.
Dr Ayensu-Danquah also called for greater regional cooperation in pharmaceutical manufacturing, medical technology, research, specialist services, professional training and digital health.
She said West Africa had the potential to transition from being mainly a consumer of health technologies to becoming a producer, innovator and exporter of health solutions.
Madam Sihong Jiang, President of the Health Community of West Africa Association (HCOWAA), said the association was established with the vision of making Ghana a leading healthcare hub in West Africa.
She said Ghana had significant potential to become a regional centre for modern hospitals, pharmaceutical production, medical technology, research and healthcare investment.
“Through the China-West Africa Medical Summit and Expo, we are creating a platform to connect governments, healthcare institutions, investors, researchers, technology companies and international partners to share knowledge and build new opportunities,” she said.
Madam Jiang said HCOWAA sought to connect Chinese expertise, technology and industrial capacity with opportunities in Ghana and West Africa to support sustainable healthcare development.
Dr Caroline Amissah, Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), said AI was increasingly influencing disease detection, analysis of medical information, health planning and
healthcare delivery.
“The question is no longer whether AI will become part of healthcare; it is already becoming part of healthcare,” she said, urging stakeholders to focus on responsible deployment and adaptation to local health needs.
Dr Amissah called for investment in health professionals, digital infrastructure, patient-data protection and appropriate standards to ensure safe and ethical AI deployment.
She cautioned that innovation should not widen inequalities in access to quality healthcare.
Dr Amissah urged participants to use the summit to explore technologies, exchange knowledge and identify practical areas for collaboration.
She said future Ghana-China cooperation should extend beyond products and services to knowledge transfer, technology partnerships, research collaboration, professional development, capacity building and local innovation.
The three-day summit, being held under the theme, “Deepening AI Deployment, Empowering Health in West Africa, Reshaping the Development Landscape.”
It is expected to bring together more than 300 medical manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, healthcare professionals, researchers, investors and technology firms from China, Ghana and across West Africa.
Other participants include representatives of the Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, Ghana Free Zones Authority, the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat, health institutions, development partners and diplomatic missions.
Source: GNA
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