Rose Nakasi: Using AI to Revolutionize Disease Diagnosis
Ladderworks is a publishing platform of diverse picture books and online curriculum with the mission to empower over a million kids to become social entrepreneurs. Our current series features interviews by our interplanetary journalist Spiffy with inspiring Social Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Builders, and Changemakers who are advancing the UN SDGs.
Welcome back! Spiffy here, your interplanetary journalist reporting from Planet Earth with an eye on entrepreneurs working to make this world more equitable. Today I’m super excited to speak with Rose Nakasi, project lead at the Makerere University.
Spiffy: Welcome Rose. Let’s jump right in. Tell me, what challenge are you addressing through the Makerere University?
Rose: Thanks for having me, Spiffy. Imagine a world where everyone, even in the most remote villages, can get the right diagnosis. That’s what we’re working on! Right now, many people in Sub-Saharan Africa get very sick from diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and cervical cancer. It’s hard for them to get the right and timely diagnosis because there aren’t enough doctors to examine the samples under a microscope. We’re using artificial intelligence (AI) to help! We’re training computers to recognize the tiny parasites by showing them many pictures of these parasites. Once the computer learns to recognize these patterns, it can help doctors diagnose diseases more quickly and accurately. This will help people in rural areas get the right treatment faster and feel better.
Spiffy: Amazing! What motivates you to do it?
Rose: I’m really excited about using computers to solve real-world problems, like making people healthier. Technology isn’t just about cool gadgets; it’s a tool that can help us improve our lives. In my country, Uganda, there aren’t enough doctors to help everyone get the right and timely diagnosis. That’s why we’re using smart computers to help doctors work faster and more accurately. It’s like giving doctors a superpower to help more people!
Spiffy: Wow! What would you say is the impact of your work?
Rose: Imagine a doctor looking at tiny germs under a microscope. It’s a lot of work, and it can take a long time. Through our Ocular project, we’re making it easier for doctors to do their job. We’ve created a special smartphone app that helps doctors examine these tiny germs faster and more accurately. It’s like having a super-smart helper that can spot the harmful germs right away. This means that doctors can help more people, even in places far away.
Spiffy: Tell me about a recent milestone/initiative by you or your org. What impact does that make?
Rose: We hosted a big meeting where lots of smart people talked about using computers to help people get better. This meeting not only included doctors and AI experts but also community engagement officers, policymakers, and regulators. That’s what we did at the AI in Health Africa Conference! We discussed how we can use and adopt smart technology to support doctors and nurses, especially in Africa. We want to make sure that everyone, no matter where they live, can get the best healthcare possible. By working together, we can make a big difference in people’s lives.
Spiffy: Is there anything else you would love to tell our audience?
Rose: Oh yes! Through the Ocular project, we have been piloting this tool in hospitals and clinics all over Uganda. Doctors are really happy with it because it will help them diagnose illnesses faster and more accurately. We’ve been talking to people in communities to let them know about this amazing technology. We want everyone to understand that AI can help us solve some of the most pressing societal challenges, and it’s making a big difference in healthcare.
Spiffy: Thanks for speaking with me today, Rose—it’s been an honor!
Rose Nakasi is a lecturer and team lead at the Makerere Artificial Intelligence Health Lab at the Makerere University. She holds a PhD in computer science. Rose has spearheaded innovative projects like the Google-funded Ocular project, focusing on AI-driven mobile microscopy diagnosis of malaria, tuberculosis, and cancer. (Nominated by Ricki Meyer at Google.org. First published on the Ladderworks website on December 27, 2024.)
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect those of Ladderworks LLC.
© 2024 Ladderworks LLC. Edited by Sujit Kunte. Spiffy’s illustration by Shreyas Navare. For the Ladderworks digital curriculum to help K-3 kids advance the UN SDGs, visit Spiffy's Launchpad: Creative Entrepreneurship Workshops for K-3 Kids and their caregivers here.