Data collection, ethics and use of AI (artificial intelligence) in healthcare are among the key topics leading global experts addressed at the inaugural Digital Health Africa? (DHA 2024) conference held recently at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票's (SU's) Biomedical Research Institute (BMRI).
The two-day conference, co-organised by SU's School for Data Science and Computational Thinking and the Division of Clinical Pharmacology in SU's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, with the Fundisa African Academy of Medicines Development and Pharmacometrics Africa, brought together leading global experts to engage in discussions, workshops and case studies on transformation and innovation in the healthcare industry.
Participating academics from our 中国体育彩票 included Prof Tulio de Oliviera, Director of the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI) and professor at the School for Data Sciences and Computational Thinking; Prof Francesco Petruccione, of the National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences; Dr Tanya de Villiers-Botha, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Head of the Unit for the Ethics of Technology in the Centre for Applied Ethics, and Dr Sunday Oladejo from the School for Data Science and Computational Thinking, and Dr Rohan Benecke, postdoctoral researcher, as well as members of the organising committee.
Prof Tulio de Oliviera, Director of the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI) and professor at the School for Data Sciences and Computational Thinking and Prof Kanshukan Rajaratnam, Director of the SU's School for Data Science and Computational Thinking, at the conference.
“The healthcare landscape is evolving rapidly as digital technology such as AI becomes more integral in providing accessible and effective treatment. SU is proud to have hosted this conference, with our partners in Fundisa and Pharmacometrics Africa. The conference brought together world leaders in this field to foster knowledge sharing and collaboration on related topics with global significance," says Prof Kanshukan Rajaratnam, Director of the SU's School for Data Science and Computational Thinking.
The BMRI, which opened last year, was a fitting location for this critical conference, adds Rajaratnam. The state-of-the-art future-focused research facility houses preeminent researchers and students investigating diseases, such as tuberculosis, cardio-metabolic disease, HIV, diabetes and neurological disorders, which have a significant impact on Africa.
“Following our successful hosting of the World Conference on Pharmacometrics in 2022, we used DHA 2024 as a convening opportunity to continue strengthening the discipline of quantitative clinical pharmacology in Africa" says Colin Pillai, CEO of Pharmacometrics Africa NPC. “These events highlight pharmacometrics as an important element of the development of novel medicines."
Adds Bernd Rosenkranz, President of the Fundisa African Academy of Medicines Development, “This conference was very much aligned with our goal to provide capacity development in medicines development and regulation and to offer networking opportunities for young scientists."
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