LAHORE – The Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) has secured a major multi-year grant from the Gates Foundation to establish Pakistan’s first nationally coordinated Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub, marking a significant step in integrating advanced technology into public health systems.
The initiative will begin with a flagship focus on Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH), one of Pakistan’s most pressing health challenges, while laying the foundation for a broader national platform that can address other critical development issues over time. The project is also supported by Mubarik Imam, a member of the Advisory Board at LUMS’ Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering.
The AI Hub brings together LUMS and Aga Khan University (AKU), combining strengths in artificial intelligence, digital health, and clinical research. LUMS will lead on AI innovation and data systems, while AKU will contribute clinical expertise, develop maternal health datasets, and support field testing across diverse healthcare settings.
The initiative aims to develop scalable, AI-driven solutions tailored to underserved populations. These include predictive analytics for early risk detection, decision-support tools for frontline health workers, and multilingual, speech-based technologies to overcome literacy and language barriers. The Hub will also work to strengthen referral systems and ensure continuity of care across Pakistan’s fragmented health infrastructure.
Dr. Maryam Mustafa, Associate Professor of Computer Science at LUMS, will lead the Hub, working closely with Professor Fyezah Jehan, Chair of Paediatrics and Child Health at AKU. The project will also engage government stakeholders, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to integrate AI tools into national healthcare systems.
“This is a milestone moment for Pakistan,” said Dr. Mustafa. “We are starting with maternal and child health because the need is urgent, but the long-term goal is to build a responsible, nationally anchored AI platform that can strengthen public systems across multiple sectors.”
The initiative builds on earlier work by Dr. Mustafa, including the “Awaaz-e-Sehat” project, which used voice-enabled digital tools to support maternal healthcare in low-resource environments.
Pakistan continues to face high maternal mortality rates, currently estimated at 186 deaths per 100,000 live births. Key challenges include limited access to quality care, shortages of skilled health workers, weak referral systems, and delays in managing complications such as hemorrhage and sepsis. Social barriers, low literacy, and fragmented data systems further compound these issues.
The AI Hub aims to address these gaps by embedding ethical, evidence-based AI solutions directly into existing health systems. For women in remote areas, this could translate into earlier detection of pregnancy risks and faster access to care during emergencies.
Beyond healthcare, the Hub is envisioned as a long-term national platform for responsible AI innovation. It will support capacity building, policy development, and startups working at the intersection of AI and social impact, while contributing to Pakistan’s commitments under the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality.
With this initiative, Pakistan joins a small group of countries developing nationally coordinated AI platforms for public good. Similar efforts, also supported by the Gates Foundation, are underway in Rwanda, Nigeria, Senegal, and Kenya.
