Dr. Emmanuel Kwaku Ireland, Chairman of the Community Practice Pharmacists Association (CPPA), has called for a strategic and inclusive deployment of artificial intelligence in Ghana’s community health system.
Delivering a keynote address on “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Revolutionize Community Health and Pharmacy Practice in Disease Surveillance and Control,” at a seminar held by the Health Community of West Africa Association on AI-CDC, Dr. Ireland described AI as a transformative tool that holds “immense promise” in changing how communities experience and access healthcare.
“We are standing at the intersection of innovation and urgency. Artificial intelligence is not just a buzzword — it is the next chapter in how we manage disease, deliver care, and empower communities,” Dr. Ireland said.
Dr. Ireland also outlined how AI-powered systems are reshaping global health responses, offering tools that can predict outbreaks at granular levels, analyze vast data sets from multiple sources, and support frontline workers in real time. He emphasized that in resource-limited settings, such capabilities can be a game-changer.
“AI can help us see what we couldn’t before — subtle patterns hidden in social media chatter or in routine pharmacy data. That’s where the future of outbreak detection lies,” he noted.
He made a compelling case for the transformation of community pharmacies into AI-enabled public health outposts, highlighting how such a shift can bridge longstanding gaps in disease surveillance, particularly in underserved areas. According to Dr. Ireland, by automating routine tasks, enabling remote monitoring, and detecting adverse drug interactions early, AI can enhance the pharmacist’s role as a frontline healthcare provider.
Dr. Ireland, who also serves as the Group CEO of Makland Group International and a board member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), called for robust policies that include pharmacists and local health actors in Ghana’s AI-driven Centers for Disease Control (CDC) strategy. He stressed the urgent need for a national framework that supports education, funding, privacy safeguards, and public-private-academic partnerships.
“If pharmacists are equipped, trusted, and trained to use AI, we can shift from reactive to proactive care models — and that’s the transformation we seek,” he asserted.
The seminar opened with a welcome address from Prince Opoku Dogbey, Vice President of HCOWA, who declared the event a “turning point for Africa.” Dogbey emphasized that the time for fragmented, reactive public health systems is over, stating,
“Outbreaks don’t wait for bureaucracy — we must get smarter, faster, and more connected.”
Dr. Ireland concluded by calling for ethical and context-sensitive AI deployment, warning of risks tied to biased algorithms and data limitations. He urged stakeholders to ensure that digital innovation uplifts health equity, not deepens disparities.
The event which was held on the theme, Transforming Public Health with AI: National Frameworks for Smarter Disease Control and Emergency Response, brought together stakeholders from the Ghana Health Service, Allied Health Professionals Council, Ministry of Health, government, private sector, and civil society, all aligned behind a shared vision: a smarter, AI-powered future for public health in West Africa.
