William Wasswa

William Wasswa is a lecturer and Head of Department of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Uganda. He leads the Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence Lab (MIAIL) in the department of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering. He is also CEO of Digital Health Uganda Ltd, a startup aiming to revolutionize the health care system in Uganda through using AI and Cloud Computing technologies to improve patient outcomes, while reducing the total cost of care. He has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering (Software Engineering) from MUST, and a master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from University of Cape Town. At only 30 years old, Dr. William Wasswa already has a PhD (Biomedical Engineering) and is among the youngest PhD holders, not only in Uganda, but in Africa. His PhD Research was on the application of AI for cervical cancer diagnosis from pap-smears and was supported by the African Development Bank (HEST) at MUST, Uganda and by the Commonwealth PhD Split-site Scholarship at the University of Strathclyde, UK. He is currently an AfyaBora Global Health Leader Postdoctoral Fellow. He is also shortlisted for the UK Royal Academy of Engineering’s Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation 2020. As part of the Africa Prize he is receiving an eight-month package of tailored support to help him achieve commercial success from his innovation and competing for the GBP 25,000 winer’s prize. He has great expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Medical Imaging and Robotics, with several publications in peer reviewed journals, and is also a reviewer in a number of high impact journals. Dr. William Wasswa is a technical member of the expert panel drafting the AU HIGH LEVEL PANEL REPORT on Artificial Intelligence for Africa by AUDA-NEPAD and also a member of the ITU/WHO Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence for Health. Dr. William Wasswa is very interested in digital health innovations that provide universal health coverage, especially reaching the unreached. He is currently working on a digital pathology platform called PapsAI for automated diagnosis and management of cervical cancer in low and middle income countries. PapsAI, an AI empowered integrated cervical cancer management platform, will revolutionize cervical cancer management in Uganda. It uses cutting-edge technology to better track patients and diagnoses. His work in AI has received international recognition, as well as being shortlisted for the Africa Prize 2020 he was among the WHO Top Africa Innovations at the Second WHO Africa Health Forum in Cabo Verde in 2019, and the only African Innovation showcased at the Commonwealth Health Ministers meeting in Geneva, Switzerland in 2019.