A Kenyan scientist, Samuel Oyola, has received a KSh 187 million ($1.45 million) grant from the Gates Foundation to develop an AI-powered public health platform aimed at improving disease detection and prediction.

Oyola, who serves as a senior scientist and head of genomic science at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), will lead the project alongside two PhD students who will help analyse complex datasets using artificial intelligence.

The initiative focuses on integrating clinical data, wastewater genomic surveillance, and advanced AI techniques to strengthen epidemic intelligence and public health decision-making.

Building on work that started during the COVID-19 pandemic, the research team plans to collect wastewater samples from 30 sites across Kisumu and Mombasa.This data will be combined with existing datasets gathered over three years of continuous environmental monitoring in Kenyan cities.

Through this approach, the project aims to detect disease outbreaks earlier and identify antimicrobial resistance trends faster than traditional surveillance systems.By leveraging high-frequency monitoring and genomic sequencing, the system is expected to provide near real-time insights into public health threats.

Oyola noted that the goal is to translate complex genetic and epidemiological data into actionable information that can guide quicker and more informed responses.

The project, titled “Deploying AI Innovation for Bioinformatics and Genomic Epidemiology,” is aligned with global efforts to strengthen disease surveillance systems and improve pandemic preparedness, especially in low- and middle-income countries.It also reflects growing interest in using AI to address pressing health challenges in Africa.

In a related development, Kenyan researcher George Njoroge and UK scientist Professor Robert Bristow were awarded KSh 446 million for their work in improving early detection of oesophageal cancer, highlighting Kenya’s growing contribution to global health research.