Chinese medical artificial intelligence technologies are gaining traction across developing regions, including Pakistan, where health systems face shortages of medical specialists and limited diagnostic infrastructure. By combining portable imaging equipment with artificial intelligence powered analysis, these solutions are helping healthcare providers conduct large scale disease screening in remote and underserved communities. Health experts say the approach allows thousands of patients to be screened quickly and at relatively low cost, helping identify individuals who require further medical examination. Across many developing countries, screening has emerged as one of the most practical applications of medical artificial intelligence because it focuses on identifying potential abnormalities rather than making final diagnoses.
The growing use of these technologies is also linked to the shortage of trained medical professionals in many lower income countries. According to estimates from World Health Organization, more than 10.7 million people fell ill with tuberculosis in 2024, yet only about 8.3 million cases were newly diagnosed and treated. A large share of cases are concentrated in about 30 countries, including Pakistan and Nigeria. Radiology capacity in low income countries remains limited, with roughly one radiologist available per million people compared with around 93 per million in high income nations. As a result, diagnostic imaging is often reviewed by general clinicians rather than specialists, which can slow down the detection of diseases such as tuberculosis and lung infections.
Chinese companies have begun addressing these gaps through artificial intelligence tools designed specifically for large scale screening programmes. One such company, InferVision, has developed computer aided detection systems for tuberculosis using chest X ray imaging. The technology was included in the procurement catalogue of the Stop TB Partnership Global Drug Facility following an international tender process. The system provides image analysis through both online and offline processing and includes hardware, installation, training and technical support. Compared with other international systems such as CAD4TB developed in the Netherlands, InferVision’s offering has been positioned at a significantly lower cost, which is an important factor for donor funded public health programmes operating with fixed budgets.
Deployment of these solutions has already begun to expand across different regions. InferVision reports that its technologies are being used in around 40 countries and more than 2,000 institutions worldwide. In Pakistan, the system has been integrated with battery powered portable X ray units to conduct screenings in mining communities and remote locations. In 2023 alone, more than 8,000 individuals were screened using the technology in field settings where conventional diagnostic facilities are limited. Another Chinese healthcare technology company, Landing Med, has partnered with Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital to establish an artificial intelligence medical diagnosis laboratory that began operations in 2023. The facility has provided cervical cancer screening services for approximately 10,000 women during its initial phase by using artificial intelligence assisted cytology to analyse medical samples that would otherwise require specialist pathologists.
Healthcare specialists believe that the next stage of medical artificial intelligence in developing countries will depend on more decentralised and accessible diagnostic tools. Smartphones, handheld ultrasound devices and portable digital stethoscopes are increasingly capable of supporting artificial intelligence assisted screening, potentially enabling healthcare workers to deliver basic diagnostic services outside large hospitals. Such technologies could help expand early disease detection across rural and underserved populations while easing the pressure on limited specialist resources in countries across the Global South.
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