SingHealth and Bhutan’s GCIT collaborate on responsible AI deployment in healthcare

SingHealth and the Gyalpozhing College of Information Technology (GCIT) at the Royal University of Bhutan have signed a two-year memorandum of understanding to develop and implement AI-driven initiatives in healthcare, with an emphasis on responsible deployment and locally relevant solutions.

The agreement also aims to strengthen GCIT’s Research Centre of Excellence in global healthcare innovation, drawing on SingHealth’s experience in applying AI within clinical environments.

At the centre of the collaboration is the co-development of an AI-assisted chest radiograph model trained on Bhutanese patient data. The tool is designed to support more accurate diagnosis of lung conditions including infections and cancer, addressing longstanding challenges in rural hospitals where geographical barriers and a shortage of radiological expertise limit access to specialist care.

The model is built on MerMED-FM, a multimodal, multi-specialty medical imaging foundation model developed by SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre and A*STAR’s Institute of High Performance Computing.

Published in The Lancet Digital Health, MerMED-FM has demonstrated strong performance in detecting pneumonia, tuberculosis, hepatic masses, and colorectal cancer. While the Bhutan deployment will initially focus on chest radiographs, the model’s broader capabilities are expected to support wider clinical applications across the country and the region.

GCIT will lead technical development with clinical input from SingHealth. The system is targeted for rollout by 2027 across hospitals within the Gelephu Mindfulness City healthcare network, which collectively sees more than 400 patients daily.

Beyond the diagnostic tool, the partnership will extend to joint publications, policy guidelines, and educational programmes covering AI ethics and responsible use.

Both institutions have committed to ensuring the technology aligns with Bhutan’s regulatory and healthcare frameworks.