As artificial intelligence (AI) begins to shape healthcare systems worldwide, West African countries face a crucial question: how can we ensure that its development and application remain ethical, inclusive, secure, and aligned with regional realities? This session will bring together policymakers, healthcare professionals, tech innovators, legal experts, and civil society to collectively explore, design, and simulate a governance framework for AI in health.
This highly interactive workshop is designed in two complementary phases. The first phase is a participatory co-creation segment where participants will explore ethical, political, legal, and social concerns surrounding the use of AI in health. Using video stimuli, expert lightning talks, and small group activities, attendees will identify key risks, opportunities, and governance principles. Groups will work on themes such as medical ethics, data protection, accessibility, and the role of governments and startups. Outputs from this phase will include prioritized recommendations that reflect the diversity of perspectives in the room.
The second phase is a legislative simulation where participants take on the roles of ministries, parliamentarians, healthcare professionals, patients, startups, and legal experts. Through structured debate and negotiation, these delegations will propose and defend legal or regulatory articles based on the recommendations from phase one. The goal is to reach consensus on a set of guiding principles or “citizen articles” for a regional governance framework on AI in health.
By combining soft skills facilitation, role-play, group creativity and serious policy thinking, this session offers a unique experience that bridges field realities with institutional processes. The session will close with a collective commitment exercise, and a proposal to continue the dialogue through a post-WAIGF working group or regional charter initiative.
Participants will leave with a better understanding of AI’s governance challenges in healthcare, actionable ideas for national or regional frameworks, and connections with others working toward a safe and sovereign digital health future for West Africa.
