At the 30th anniversary celebration of Case Hospital’s excellence in healthcare, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa called on Uganda’s medical sector to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies to enhance patient care, research, and diagnostics.
As the chief guest at the event, Tayebwa commended Case Hospital for being a leader in local innovation and professionalism in healthcare. He urged Ugandan hospitals and universities to collaborate on research integrating AI into medical practices, emphasizing that it could transform the speed and accuracy of treatment.
“AI holds incredible potential. It can assist doctors in making quicker, more accurate decisions and improve healthcare delivery across the country,” Tayebwa said. “We must partner with research institutions to harness the opportunities this digital revolution offers.” He pointed to examples from global institutions like MIT, where AI is being used to map the human brain and better understand neurological conditions. He also highlighted how AI is already supporting complex surgeries and diagnostics, although he stressed the importance of responsibly adapting these technologies.
Tayebwa also acknowledged the Human Organ Donation and Transplant Act (2023) as a significant step forward in Uganda’s medical advancements, but urged for faster implementation.
He revealed that Parliament plans to allocate funds in the next budget to establish a National Organ Transplant Council to ensure ethical and local access to organ transplants. “We have Ugandans traveling to India for kidney transplants when we have the capacity here,” he said. “Once the council is operational, Ugandans will be able to access these services locally, with robust safeguards to prevent exploitation.”
Beyond legislation, Tayebwa emphasized the need to balance technology with ethics, warning against the misuse of digital platforms by the youth and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on social life.
“Technology is powerful, but it must serve humanity — not replace it,” he said.