Novel Interventions to Identify and Control Diarrhoeal Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa

CARE-Africa aims to reduce the burden of paediatric diarrhoeal diseases (DD) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) through the development, deployment, and clinical evaluation of an innovative digital decision-support system (DSS). Targeting children under five, the DSS will assist healthcare workers in diagnosing and treating diarrhoea caused by key pathogens (Shigella spp., ETEC, Vibrio cholerae, rotavirus, norovirus and Cryptosporidium), incorporating clinician-entered data, contextual climate and socio-economic information, and advanced AI analytics. The system will estimate pathogen presence likelihoods, AMR risk, and produce tailored treatment recommendations aligned with WHO and local guidelines, using explainable AI to ensure transparency. Cluster-randomized controlled trials in Uganda and Ethiopia will assess the DSS's effectiveness in improving clinical outcomes and antibiotic stewardship. In parallel, the project will conduct AI-driven, large-scale data mining and modelling to identify how climate and socio-economic variables influence disease burden, pathogen dynamics, and public health vulnerabilities across SSA. These insights will support the creation of predictive tools, risk maps, and targeted interventions, informing adaptive policies to mitigate DD under changing climate conditions. The project brings together six partners from the UK, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Uganda, and Ethiopia, combining expertise in AI, data science, infectious diseases, and health information systems. By integrating AI-driven research with clinical practice, this initiative will deliver a scalable, context-aware tool for precision diagnostics and treatment of diarrhoeal diseases, with significant implications for child health, AMR control, and climate resilience in low-resource settings. The project will boost local capacity in AI and health analytics, strengthen SSA regional innovation, and enhance point-of-care and lab diagnostics and treatment of DD in SSA.