Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) are used to improve clinical and service outcomes, yet evidence from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is dispersed. This protocol outlines methods to quantify the impact of CDSS on patient and healthcare delivery outcomes in LMICs. We will include comparative quantitative designs (randomized trials, controlled before-after, interrupted time series, comparative cohorts) evaluating CDSS in World Bank-defined LMICs. Standalone qualitative studies are excluded; mixed-methods studies are eligible only if they report comparative quantitative outcomes, for which we will extract the quantitative component. Searches (from inception to 30 September 2024) will cover MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, CENTRAL, Web of Science, Global Health, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, LILACS, African Index Medicus, and IndMED, plus grey sources. Screening and extraction will be performed in duplicate. Risk of bias will be assessed with RoB 2 (randomized trials) and ROBINS-I (non-randomized). Random-effects meta-analysis will be performed where outcomes are conceptually or statistically comparable; otherwise, a structured narrative synthesis will be presented. Heterogeneity will be explored using relative and absolute metrics and a priori subgroups or meta-regression (condition area, care level, CDSS type, readiness proxies, study design).

Automated cardiac interpretation in resource-constrained settings (RCS) is often hindered by poor-quality echocardiographic imaging, limiting the effectiveness of downstream diagnostic models. While super-resolution (SR) techniques have shown promise in enhancing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans, their application to echocardiography--a widely accessible but noise-prone modality--remains underexplored. In this work, we investigate the potential of deep learning-based SR to improve classification accuracy on low-quality 2D echocardiograms. Using the publicly available CAMUS dataset, we stratify samples by image quality and evaluate two clinically relevant tasks of varying complexity: a relatively simple Two-Chamber vs. Four-Chamber (2CH vs. 4CH) view classification and a more complex End-Diastole vs. End-Systole (ED vs. ES) phase classification. We apply two widely used SR models--Super-Resolution Generative Adversarial Network (SRGAN) and Super-Resolution Residual Network (SR-ResNet), to enhance poor-quality images and observe significant gains in performance metric--particularly with SRResNet, which also offers computational efficiency. Our findings demonstrate that SR can effectively recover diagnostic value in degraded echo scans, making it a viable tool for AI-assisted care in RCS, achieving more with less.

Structural transformation, the shift from agrarian economies to more diversified industrial and service-based systems, is a key driver of economic development. However, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), data scarcity and unreliability hinder accurate assessments of this process. This paper presents a novel statistical framework designed to address these challenges by integrating Bayesian hierarchical modeling, machine learning-based data imputation, and factor analysis. The framework is specifically tailored for conditions of data sparsity and is capable of providing robust insights into sectoral productivity and employment shifts across diverse economies. By utilizing Bayesian models, uncertainties in data are effectively managed, while machine learning techniques impute missing data points, ensuring the integrity of the analysis. Factor analysis reduces the dimensionality of complex datasets, distilling them into core economic structures. The proposed framework has been validated through extensive simulations, demonstrating its ability to predict structural changes even when up to 60\% of data is missing. This approach offers policymakers and researchers a valuable tool for making informed decisions in environments where data quality is limited, contributing to the broader understanding of economic development in LMICs.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence pose the ability for global health practitioners to glean new insights from data they are already collecting as part of implementing their programs. However, little practice-based research has been documented on how to incorporate machine learning into international development programs. Current systems mirror in form and format the use of manually completed paper records to create periodic reports for leadership. This has vexed health officials with a proliferation of systems leaving some "data rich, but information poor". Yet the growth of available analytical systems and exponential growth of data require the global digital health community to become conversant in this technology to continue to make contributions to help fulfill our missions.

Around the world, artificial intelligence (AI) is automating functions and making new services possible with breakthroughs in low-cost computing power, cloud computing services, growth in big data and advancements in machine learning and related processes. This webinar discussed the current use of AI in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), along with trends and challenges in business models, barriers to innovation and AI's ethical and responsible use towards achieving the sustainable development goals. This study examines the current use of AI in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) across Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and South and Southeast Asia. The report mapped a sample of 450 start-ups by sector in alignment with the UN Sustainable ...