A pioneering artificial intelligence project in East Africa is harnessing local helpline conversations to develop a therapy chatbot capable of understanding and responding to mental health issues in indigenous languages. This initiative aims to tackle a critical shortage of specialists and overcome deep-seated social stigma.
Bridging the Care Gap with Local Voices
The research is centred at Butabika Hospital in Kampala, Uganda, and Mirembe Hospital in Dodoma, Tanzania. Professor Joyce Nakatumba-Nabende, who leads the AI Lab at Makerere University, is spearheading the collaboration. Her team is analysing anonymised recordings from the hospital helplines, where callers speak in languages such as Swahili and Luganda.
The core challenge is that clinical terms like 'depression' or 'suicidal' often don't exist directly in these languages. The AI is being trained to identify the contextual phrases and descriptions people use when discussing distress. "Someone probably won’t say ‘suicidal’ as a word," explains Nakatumba-Nabende. The goal is for the algorithm to recognise risk factors and escalate urgent cases for human follow-up.
Digital Advantages: Access, Scale, and Anonymity
The potential benefits of a culturally attuned digital tool are significant. One in ten people in Africa faces mental health challenges, yet resources are desperately scarce. An AI-powered service could provide 24/7 access and be delivered via simple SMS, crucial for areas with limited smartphones or internet.
Perhaps most importantly, it bypasses stigma. "People are reluctant to be seen seeking mental health care in clinics," Nakatumba-Nabende notes. A private, digital intervention removes that barrier, allowing earlier identification of issues before they require specialist psychiatric care.
Global Promise and Regulatory Challenges
The project is part of a wider global exploration of AI in mental health, funded by organisations like the Wellcome Trust. Miranda Wolpert, Wellcome's mental health director, sees promise in moving beyond traditional paper questionnaires for diagnosis. She also highlights innovative, technology-facilitated treatments, such as using games like Tetris to alleviate PTSD symptoms.
However, the rapid advance of AI necessitates robust regulatory frameworks. Experts like Bilal Mateen, chief AI officer at the health NGO Path, stress that local context is vital. "'Does this thing operate well in Zulu?'... is not one that the FDA has ever considered," he states. Regulators, such as South Africa's SAHPRA, are now working to ensure AI tools are as safe and reliable as conventional medicines, guarding against harmful "hallucinations" or outputs.
While the conversation often focuses on chatbots like ChatGPT, Mateen suggests the broader potential of AI includes training peer counsellors or streamlining treatment pathways. With a billion people globally experiencing mental health conditions and workforce gaps from sub-Saharan Africa to the UK, the need for safe, effective technological solutions has never been greater.
