Applications are now open for the 2026 edition of the AI for Reproductive Health Innovation Challenge, a pan-African initiative supporting the development of artificial intelligence solutions to address critical reproductive health issues across Sub-Saharan Africa.
The program is led by the Infectious Diseases Institute and the African Population and Health Research Centre, with backing from partners including the Artificial Intelligence for Development Africa (AI4D Africa), the International Development Research Centre, and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
According to the organisers, the challenge aims to bring together multidisciplinary teams to design AI-driven tools that can improve access to reproductive health services, strengthen decision-making, and enhance care delivery systems in underserved communities.
Participants will compete across two primary tracks: early pregnancy loss care and contraceptive decision-making. The initiative targets solutions that can address gaps such as limited healthcare access, poor health literacy, and inefficiencies in service delivery.
The challenge is open to teams of three to six members based in Sub-Saharan Africa. Each team must include at least two women and demonstrate a mix of expertise spanning artificial intelligence, data science, and healthcare.
Selected teams will take part in a four-week virtual innovation sprint featuring mentorship, technical training, and access to relevant datasets. Top-performing teams will receive cash prizes and an all-expenses-paid trip to present their solutions at a final event associated with Data Science Africa 2026.
Organisers say the program is part of a broader effort to build local AI capacity while advancing scalable, context-specific innovations in reproductive health across the continent. The application deadline is 3 May 2026. Interested applicants can submit their entries via the official programme portal at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMFhWUyKvRToKC3XwwbWEabc0yg0LFlYdtOxVbrjyRYRXldg/viewform . Additional information about this application can be found here. https://www.ai4d.ai/calls/ai-for-reproductive-health-in-africa-innovation-challenge.
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