The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and OpenAI have announced a $50 million partnership aimed at applying artificial intelligence to strengthen fragile health systems across Africa.
The initiative, known as Horizon1000, was unveiled on Tuesday and will begin in Rwanda, with plans to expand to other African countries over the coming years. The programme aims to reach 1,000 clinics and surrounding communities by 2028.
According to the partners, the initiative will use AI to improve primary healthcare delivery, particularly in regions facing shortages of doctors, nurses, and medical facilities. The foundation said the technology is designed to support, not replace, frontline health workers by improving diagnostics, patient record management, and clinic efficiency.
Bill Gates said artificial intelligence could help expand access to quality healthcare in settings with limited medical resources, while OpenAI said it would provide technical expertise and help ensure ethical deployment of AI tools.
Horizon1000 builds on the Gates Foundation’s long-standing investments in digital health across Africa, including electronic medical records, mobile health platforms, and AI-driven disease surveillance. Sub-Saharan Africa currently faces an estimated shortfall of six million health professionals.
Rwanda was selected as the pilot country due to its investments in health innovation, including the establishment of an AI health centre in Kigali and the use of drones for medical supply delivery.
The programme will initially focus on maternal care, disease detection, clinic efficiency, and health worker training, with OpenAI providing the AI infrastructure and the Gates Foundation coordinating partnerships with governments and public health institutions.
