National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula engaged with Dr. Ricardo Baptista Leite, Chief Executive Officer of HealthAI and President of the UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health, to discuss the expanding role of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare.
The meeting, held on Thursday morning at the Parliament buildings, explored ways Kenya could leverage AI to improve medical services.
The discussions highlighted the potential for institutional collaboration in integrating AI with health sector training. Wetangula emphasized the need to align innovation with local capacity-building efforts, particularly through modules covering comparative AI standards and risk governance.
Dr. Leite, also an Obama Foundation Leader in Europe, noted the transformative impact of AI technologies in healthcare delivery.
“Telemedicine, virtual consultations, remote diagnostics, and even robotic-assisted surgeries are already redefining patient care,” he said. However, he stressed the importance of establishing clear regulatory frameworks to ensure safe and ethical implementation.
Kenya has gradually adopted AI in healthcare, with private and public institutions piloting telemedicine platforms, electronic health records, and AI-assisted diagnostics.
Wetangula’s engagement with Dr. Leite signals the Parliament’s interest in shaping policies that accommodate AI while safeguarding patient safety.
“Our goal is to support innovations that complement Kenya’s health system without compromising standards,” Wetangula stated.
The meeting also touched on global health collaboration, reflecting Kenya’s ongoing efforts to learn from international best practices in medical technology.
Parliamentarians and health officials are expected to explore joint initiatives in training and research that can strengthen the country’s capacity to implement AI in clinical and public health settings.