Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are helping hospitals across Africa reduce diagnostic delays and manage heavy patient loads, healthcare and technology experts said, as facilities turn to software to support overstretched medical staff.
Speaking at a webinar hosted by Newmark on “AI in Healthcare: Opportunities and Challenges,” clinicians and digital health executives said AI systems embedded in hospital workflows are speeding up imaging reviews, assisting with documentation and flagging potential diagnoses for doctors to consider.
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“In some facilities, patients wait days because a specialist is unavailable,” said Daniel Marfo, co-founder of RX Health Info System. “AI tools are helping to bridge that gap by offering preliminary insights that clinicians can act on quickly.”
In many African countries, shortages of radiologists and other specialists contribute to bottlenecks in patient care. AI-powered imaging systems can analyse X-rays, CT scans and MRIs within minutes, identifying areas that may require closer examination and allowing doctors to prioritise urgent cases.
Marfo said such systems do not replace clinical judgement. “It does not make decisions, it supports the decision-maker,” he said, noting that AI assistants integrated into Electronic Medical Records can suggest possible diagnoses, highlight patterns in symptoms and prompt additional questions during consultations.
Beyond diagnostics, speakers said automation is cutting administrative delays that often slow care delivery. Tools that generate medical notes from consultations and process insurance claims electronically are reducing paperwork and freeing clinicians to spend more time with patients.
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Dr. Afriye Bempah, founder of Aduru Analytics/PharmaD, said AI is also being used to strengthen public health surveillance by analysing trends in health data to detect disease outbreaks earlier.
“By converting raw data into actionable insights quickly, these systems give healthcare professionals and policymakers more time to respond,” he said.
However, experts warned that safeguards are essential as AI becomes more embedded in health systems. Concerns remain around patient data privacy, fragmented records and the risk of algorithmic bias, particularly where systems are trained on datasets that underrepresent African populations.
“In healthcare, mistakes affect lives. Patient privacy and ethical use must remain central,” Bempah said.
Gilbert Manirskiza, chief executive of Newmark Group, said institutions must be transparent about how patient data is processed and protected, and clearly communicate when AI tools are used in clinical or public-facing contexts.
Speakers agreed that while AI is unlikely to solve systemic challenges on its own, it is proving to be a practical tool in reducing waiting times and supporting faster, more informed decisions in hospitals facing rising demand.
Across the continent, they said, the technology is emerging not as a replacement for doctors, but as a way to help them keep pace with growing pressure on healthcare systems.
