Inclusive AI for Cancer Care: A Switzerland - MENA Workshop on Trustworthy and Equitable Clinical AI

Swiss partners

• UNIL: Yash Shrestha (main applicant)

 MENA partners

• Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport: Noha Medhat Ahmed Ghatwary (main applicant)

Presentation of the project

AI is rapidly transforming medical diagnostics, with significant potential to improve early detection of diseases such as colorectal cancer. However, most AI systems are developed and validated in high-resource settings, raising critical concerns about their reliability and usability in diverse clinical contexts, particularly in low- and middle-income regions. This workshop brings together researchers, clinicians, and stakeholders from Switzerland and Egypt to explore how AI can be adapted, trusted, and effectively integrated into real-world healthcare systems. Building on an ongoing Swiss–Egyptian research collaboration on AI-assisted colonoscopy funded by Leading House MENA, the workshop will highlight emerging evidence on model performance across populations, bias mitigation, and human–AI interaction in clinical practice.

The event will feature expert talks, panel discussions, and interactive sessions focused on key challenges, including trust in AI recommendations, explainability and data governance in low-resource settings. Particular emphasis will be placed on bridging the gap between technical innovation and clinical adoption, ensuring that AI systems are not only accurate but also usable, equitable, and context-sensitive. By fostering dialogue among academic and non-academic participants, including healthcare professionals and technology experts, the workshop aims to strengthen Switzerland–MENA collaboration.