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KARACHI, August 10, 2026: The Government of Balochistan and the National AI Hub for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen maternal, newborn and child healthcare through artificial intelligence and digital innovation.
The partnership aims to address persistent healthcare challenges in Balochistan by using AI, digital health solutions and evidence-based decision-making. The two sides will identify priority areas where technology can improve health services, strengthen healthcare systems and support policy planning.
The MoU was signed at LUMS in the presence of senior government officials, university leaders, researchers, public health specialists and technical experts.
The Balochistan government delegation was led by Secretary Health Mujeeb-ur-Rehman. It included senior officials from the Health Department, the Balochistan Health Management Information System and the Health Sector Reforms Unit. Representatives from the World Health Organization, Poverty Eradication Initiative and UNICEF Balochistan also participated.
During the meeting, participants discussed the province’s maternal, newborn and child health priorities. They also reviewed Balochistan’s digital health landscape and opportunities to use locally generated data and AI to improve healthcare delivery.
LUMS Provost and Acting Vice Chancellor Dr. Tariq Jadoon said the partnership would allow the university to apply computer science, artificial intelligence and machine learning to real-world health challenges.
Meanwhile, Dr. Walter Schwarzacher, Dean of the Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering at LUMS, said the National AI Hub could help translate fundamental research into practical solutions that improve people’s health and lives.
Dr. Maryam Mustafa, Director of the National AI Hub and Associate Professor of Computer Science, stressed that the initiative would focus on Balochistan’s specific needs. She said the province should play an active role in designing AI tools rather than simply serving as a deployment site.
According to the partnership framework, the two sides will conduct joint research, strengthen technical capacity and develop, pilot and evaluate AI-enabled healthcare solutions.
Potential areas include digital health, health information systems, predictive analytics, clinical decision support, local-language health tools and responsible AI applications for public health.
The partners will also generate evidence to support healthcare policies and programmes. They will design solutions around Balochistan’s infrastructure, languages, health priorities and service-delivery conditions.
Balochistan Health Secretary Mujeeb Ur Rehman said the partnership aims to improve maternal, newborn and child health indicators. He added that LUMS would contribute technology and expertise, while the provincial government would provide the commitment and local support needed to address healthcare challenges.
The National AI Hub for MNCH serves as a national platform for promoting the responsible use of artificial intelligence and digital innovation in maternal, newborn and child health.
The collaboration between Balochistan and LUMS marks an important step towards developing locally relevant and evidence-based healthcare solutions. It could also support Pakistan’s broader digital health agenda by linking research, technology and public health implementation.
