Data Analyst
How AI Can Be Leveraged In Africa For Social Protection Program Implementation
By Michael Mwangi
Artificial intelligence( AI) is no longer just a buzzword; it is a transformative force reshaping how we live, work, and interact. Far from being a passing trend, AI ' s profound impact spans across personal, professional, social, and political realms, making it impossible to dismiss as mere hype. The rapid expansion of digital data, powerful algorithms, and computing capabilities has sparked an innovation wave with no sign of slowing down. This momentous development is particularly significant for the development sector, where AI holds the potential to address long-standing challenges such as poverty, inequality, and access to basic services.
Yet, such monumental change inevitably invites debate. Public opinion swings between optimism and concern. On one hand, AI promises unprecedented advancements in productivity, access to services for underserved communities, and the creation of entirely new opportunities- especially in areas like healthcare, education, agriculture, climate change and disaster relief. On the other hand, there are legitimate fears about its potential to disrupt industries, erode privacy, and create systems that are opaque and unaccountable.
In this article, we explore the multifaceted impact of AI, examining both the opportunities and the challenges it presents, with a particular focus on its transformative role in the development sector, particularly social protection. From enhancing service delivery to promoting sustainable development, AI offers a powerful tool- but only if harnessed responsibly and inclusively.
AI is not a novel concept; earliest research into thinking machines was inspired by a confluence of ideas that became prevalent in the late 1930s, 1940s, and early 1950s. In the 1940s and 50s, a handful of scientists from a variety of fields( mathematics, psychology, engineering, economics and political science) explored several research directions that would be vital to later AI research. The field of artificial intelligence research was founded as an academic discipline in 1956.
Learning from Kenya
Only approximately 53 % of Kenyans have some form of healthcare and the
Artificial intelligence( AI) is no longer just a buzzword; it is a transformative force reshaping how we live, work, and interact. Far from being a passing trend, AI ' s profound impact spans across personal, professional, social, and political realms, making it impossible to dismiss as mere hype.
previous National Health Insurance Fund( NHIF only covered 15.8 % of Kenya’ s population. More than half of health expenditures in Kenya are covered by outof-pocket( OOP) expenses, donor aid, and the private sector. Some factors that contribute to the high OOP spending include, lack of health insurance.
The Kenya Demographic Health Survey( KDHS) 2022 found that only one in four Kenyans has health insurance. High cost of treatment and drugs and socioeconomic factors i. e. income, age, and education level of households. The Kenya government has an ambitious goal of enrolling 80 % of the population in health insurance by 2030. Kenya ' s 2024-2025 health budget is Ksh127 billion( US $ 982 million). This includes Ksh6.1 billion( US $ 47 million) for the Social Health Authority. To achieve this goal the Kenya government will need to increase its financial, technical and digital investment for the Social Health Authority.
Today AI has already been implemented in various sectors of development, including in Kenya, where AI is being used in healthcare for diagnostic purposes, such as through DabaDoc, which employs AI to enhance patient management in health facilities by predicting patient inflow and improving appointment scheduling. m-Tiba is also another great example where AI is used to manage and track health financing for patients. Kenya ' s AI in the healthcare market is projected to grow from $ 4.83m in 2022 to $ 101.48m by 2030, registering a CAGR of 46.32 % during the forecast period of 2022-30.
Kenya ' s healthcare system is broken down into three categories: public providers, private non-profit organizations, and private for-profit healthcare providers. Kenya’ s Social Health Authority( SHA)
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