Krux
February 22, 2026
Gates, Wellcome Launch $60M AI Health Trial Fund
Published: February 22, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Updated: February 22, 2026 at 3:03 PM
100-word summary
Gates Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation, and Wellcome today announced a $60 million grant program to evaluate mature AI health tools in low- and middle-income countries across sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. The Evidence for AI in Health initiative, delivered through J-PAL and APHRC, will fund randomized trials and implementation studies to assess efficacy, economic value, and acceptability of AI decision-support tools in primary care. Applications are now open. The program aims to generate real-world evidence guiding policy and deployment decisions in resource-constrained health systems, marking the second investment from the foundations' $300 million global health partnership.
What happened
Gates Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation, and Wellcome today announced a $60 million grant program to evaluate mature AI health tools in low- and middle-income countries across sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. The Evidence for AI in Health initiative, delivered through J-PAL and APHRC, will fund randomized trials and implementation studies to assess efficacy, economic value, and acceptability of AI decision-support tools in primary care. Applications are now open.
Why it matters
The program aims to generate real-world evidence guiding policy and deployment decisions in resource-constrained health systems, marking the second investment from the foundations' $300 million global health partnership.