Artificial Intelligence Enters Healthcare Sector in Egypt: Debut of First Breast Cancer Detection System in the Middle East

In a groundbreaking development for healthcare in Egypt, a new AI-powered system designed for early detection of breast cancer has been unveiled at Baheya Hospital in Sheikh Zayed. The initiative, launched by Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Dr. Amr Talaat, marks a significant step forward in Egypt's digital transformation agenda.

The system, developed by Egyptian engineers and data scientists in collaboration with the Ministry's Applied Innovation Center, the Baheya Foundation, and Siemens Healthineers, is designed to analyse mammogram images and provide preliminary diagnoses. This innovative technology is expected to reduce treatment costs and increase recovery rates, making a substantial impact on thousands of women's lives nationwide.

The AI system was developed with a multidisciplinary approach, involving radiologists, oncologists, data scientists, and software engineers. It boasts a comprehensive Egyptian database of over 60,000 mammogram images classified by type, location, density, and diagnostic confidence. The system has already demonstrated an accuracy rate of around 90 percent.

Eng. Tamer Shawky, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Baheya Foundation, praised the partnership, stating that the project will facilitate early detection and safeguard the health of thousands of women. Dr. Ahmed Tantawy, supervisor of the Applied Innovation Center, confirmed that the AI engine was locally developed and trained on high-quality Egyptian medical data.

The system has been fully integrated into Baheya's technical infrastructure to support seamless daily operations. It can identify and classify abnormal growths as benign or malignant while continuously improving through feedback from medical results. The Ministry plans to further refine and expand the system in the coming years.

Dr. Ahmed Tantawy also reaffirmed the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology's commitment to advancing AI-driven healthcare solutions. The deployment of this AI-based system solution for early detection of breast cancer at Baheya's hospitals in Haram and Sheikh Zayed this month is just the beginning.

The AI-powered system for breast cancer detection, unveiled in Egypt, significantly improves the efficiency of routine screenings. The Baheya Foundation was chosen as the pioneer institution for deploying such cutting-edge technology, setting a promising precedent for the future of healthcare in Egypt.

Artificial Intelligence Enters Healthcare Sector in Egypt: Debut of First Breast Cancer Detection System in the Middle East