Happy 64th #IndependenceDay. Today we celebrate a nation shaped by its diversity and moved forward by its unity. At the @AI_HealthLabMak and @Ocular_Project , we are committed to using technology to make healthcare more accessible, accurate, and impactful for Ugandans and communities across Africa. As we reflect on our journey, we look ahead with hope, pride, and a commitment to building the future through innovation. #AIFORGLOBALGOALS

The @Ocular_Project Team went upcountry to four health facilities in Northern Uganda, and the big question was: "Does our tool actually work for the people who'll be using it?" The Northern leg took the team to Arua Regional Referral Hospital, Omugo Health Centre IV, BidiBidi Health Centre IV, and Kuliklinga Health Centre III. They sat with clinicians, watched how things worked, and listened to what it would really take for the tool to be adopted. Check us out: ocular-project.com makerereaihealthlab.com #AIforGlobalGoals

Earlier this week, we had the opportunity to showcase @Ocular_Project 's progress in supporting malaria diagnosis to technical experts from @FightingMalaria For a tool designed to work inside Uganda's health system, feedback from organisations that have spent decades on the ground supporting malaria elimination efforts here is necessary. These conversations surface the texture of community experience, the realities of how diagnosis actually happens in the field, and the gaps our models need to close to be genuinely useful. Iteration is only as good as the feedback that shapes it. We're grateful for stakeholders who take the work seriously enough to engage with it critically. Learn more: ocular-project.com/ #AIforGlobalGoals

Today is #WorldMalariaDay. 🌍 A trained microscopist is expected to manually analyze up to 20 slides a day. In Kampala alone, there is just one lab technician for every 3,000 people far below the @WHO's recommended 1:1,500 ratio. In reality, this makes diagnostics slow, error-prone, and unsustainable. @Ocular_Project Tool automates parasite counting and analysis helping lab technicians diagnose more patients in less time. Visit US: ocular-project.com , makerereaihealthlab.com #AIFORGLOBALHEALTH

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲: 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗨𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮 🌍🩺 On this #WorldHealthDay, we reflect on the critical role of diagnostics in building resilient health systems. Across many settings, laboratory services remain under strain. Yet timely and accurate diagnostics are foundational to effective treatment, disease control, and better health outcomes. As these challenges persist, AI offers new possibilities: ▪️ Supporting overburdened health workers ▪️ Improving speed, consistency, and access to diagnostic insights. AI has the potential to strengthen health systems in meaningful and scalable ways. Grounded in local contexts, these technologies can help close critical gaps bringing us closer to more responsive and effective healthcare for all. 🤖📊 #AIForGlobalGoals

On World TB Day, we're thinking about what happens before the treatment. Ending TB starts with accurate, timely diagnosis and in Uganda, that happens in a laboratory under significant pressure. Lab technicians face a significant structural challenge, fatigue that compounds error. High volumes and long shifts mean human eyes tire and concentration dips. @Ocular_Project is an AI-powered microscopy tool developed at the @AI_HealthLabMak that supports TB sputum smear analysis working alongside lab technicians, with the microscopes already in our labs, to bring efficiency where the system creates pressure. @Ocular_Project is built from local data, tested in local labs and designed for local realities. On this World TB Day, @WHO is urging countries to fast-track near-point-of-care diagnostic tools for early detection. @Ocular_Project is Uganda's contribution to that direction. Listen to @mubirukenneth, MSc, MScR, PGDME as he shares: 👇 #AIFORGLOBALGOALS

Our Research Scientist, @TusubiraJeremy , will be contributing to @indabaxug 2026 as a facilitator in Computer Vision. His participation is part of our wider commitment to mentoring and training the next generation of AI talent in Uganda. Through hands-on sessions in image classification and object detection, Jeremy will support participants in building practical skills applicable to real-world challenges. At @AI_HealthLabMak , we are intentional about developing local capacity in AI to drive innovation in healthcare and beyond. Platforms like @indabaxug Uganda play a critical role in strengthening Africa’s AI ecosystem through knowledge sharing, mentorship, and collaboration. #AIForGlobalGoals

In Uganda, patients arrive at the @UgandaCancerIns when the disease has already reached Stage 4. At that point, treatment becomes much harder. Early diagnosis can dramatically improve survival rates, yet awareness and access to screening remain major challenges. Behind every diagnosis is a complex process. Pathologists carefully examine tissue slides under microscopes, sometimes spending hours reviewing a single case. In complicated cases, multiple specialists must confirm the final report. The reality is clear, we need faster, more scalable ways to support early cancer detection. Technology may play an important role in closing this gap and at @AI_HealthLabMak we are building an app under @Ocular_Project , AI trained to help pathologists in enhancing their work so we can have early diagnosis with accuracy and cover more patients. #AIForGlobalGoals

How do we build AI for healthcare while protecting the people behind the data? As we wrap up Data Privacy Week, our Senior Researcher in Ethics,Dr. @sylvia_kazooba reminds us that in developing AI-powered health interventions, privacy cannot be an afterthought. This is especially critical in our effort to build long-term trust with end users. Handling sensitive health data is a significant responsibility. Dr. @sylvia_kazooba argues that for these innovations to be truly successful, we must embed Privacy by Design into every stage of the lifecycle from collection and storage to sharing and end-use. It is only through this proactive approach that we can ensure accountability and fairness in the digital health space. #DataPrivacyWeek #AIforGlobalGoals

Trained laboratory technicians are essential, their expertise shape patient outcomes and public health decisions. In Uganda, with severe staffing shortages and limited diagnostic infrastructure, many health systems struggle to deliver timely, accurate results or detect outbreaks early. This weakens disease surveillance and delays effective responses. Using AI driven image analysis, @Ocular_Project aims to empower lab technicians, expand access in underserved communities, and support smarter disease surveillance. Learn more: ocular-project.com makerereaihealthlab.com #AIFORGLOBALGOALS

Team Spotlight: Elijah Maiga Barasa | Research Assistant at @AI_HealthLabMak. We’re happy to highlight Elijah Maiga Barasa, key contributor to the @Ocular_Project, focused on using AI and computer vision to improve diagnostic support in low-resource health settings His passion for healthcare innovation is driven by a mission to apply AI solutions that can enhance early disease detection and empower frontline health workers. At the @AI_HealthLabMak, he works on developing accessible, user-friendly tools that run on commonly available devices and provide clear, interpretable results supporting real-world clinical workflows in countries like Uganda. Full video: youtube.com/watch?v=6lcfa5Nw… 🔍 Learn more about our work: • @Ocular_Project (ocular-project.com) • @AI_HealthLabMak (makerereaihealthlab.com) #AIINHEALTHAFRICA #AIFORGLOBALGOALS

HAPPENING NOW: EXHIBITIONS Theme: Scaling AI for Sustainable and Inclusive Health Systems in Africa. Experts visit our exhibitions at the @Ocular_Project station. #AIForGlobalGoals #AIinHealthAfrica #AIInHealthAfrica2025

HAPPENING NOW: 2nd ANNUAL AI IN HEALTH AFRICAN CONFERENCE . AI Capacity Building in the Global South (AI School) MAHESH SHAKYA - @naamii_nepal: "We build a strong educational foundation in AI and science, and we run outreach programs like the annual Hyundai School to train people across all levels of society, from children to policymakers, to prepare for a digital world." #AIFORGLOBALGOALS

HAPPENING NOW: 2nd ANNUAL AI IN HEALTH AFRICAN CONFERENCE . AI Capacity Building in the Global South (AI School) MAHESH SHAKYA - @naamii_nepal: “We are dedicated to fostering innovation through the development of our own startups and by assisting companies in establishing AI teams. Our goal is to transform research into globally applicable products and to deliver technology directly to users. This approach helps users address significant challenges in low-resource healthcare settings, such as shortages of experts and equipment. We achieve this by creating tools that empower non-specialists with tasks like cervical cancer screening and ultrasound imaging and by developing cost-effective alternatives such as smartphone-based microscopes.” #AIForGlobalGoals