Sindh launches AI-enabled ultrasound pilot to boost maternal health

Sindh Health Department introduces AI-enabled ultrasound at primary healthcare facilities

KARACHI: The Department of Health, Government of Sindh, has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with PPHI Sindh and the Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP) to pilot AI-enabled handheld ultrasound devices at primary healthcare facilities in underserved districts.

Supported by the Gates Foundation, the initiative will deploy 20 AI-powered devices across six districts, significantly improving access to life-saving diagnostic imaging for pregnant women in rural areas where conventional ultrasound services are unavailable.

Transforming maternal health access

The pilot aims to measure the impact of AI-enabled ultrasound on early pregnancy detection and enrollment in the Sindh Social Protection Authority’s Mamta Program, which provides maternal and child health support.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Minister for Health, Sindh, emphasized the program’s transformative potential:

“By bringing AI-enabled ultrasound to the primary level, we are removing barriers to care and strengthening referral pathways for pregnant women and newborns in rural Sindh.”

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Partnership for innovation

Zeina Sifri, Senior Program Officer at the Gates Foundation, lauded the effort, stating:

“This partnership reflects Sindh’s leadership in advancing maternal health through innovation, ensuring pregnancies are assessed earlier and more mothers receive timely care.”

Training and integration

Under the pilot, health workers will be trained in safe scanning techniques, device handling, and referral protocols. The services will be integrated into routine maternal and child healthcare, ensuring continuity of care from the community level to higher-level facilities.

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