Benin enlists Korean-developed AI in nationwide battle against malaria
An artificial intelligence (AI)-powered malaria diagnostic system developed in Korea is moving from individual hospitals into Benin’s national malaria program after winning a public procurement contract from the country’s health ministry. Noul, an AI diagnostic startup that uses digital microscopy to analyze blood samples, said Monday that its miLab MAL platform was selected through a public…
A Korean-developed artificial intelligence (AI) malaria diagnostic system, created by startup Noul, is set to be integrated into Benin's nationwide malaria control efforts. The innovative miLab MAL platform, which utilizes digital microscopy to analyze blood samples, was recently chosen through a public procurement contract awarded by the Benin health ministry.
Noul announced that the system will initially be deployed at major hospitals treating severe malaria cases, with plans to expand its usage across Benin's public health infrastructure. The point-of-care diagnostic tool has been incorporated into the country's National Malaria Control Program (PNLP). A clinical evaluation conducted in Benin in 2025, involving 211 children suspected of having severe malaria at major university hospitals in the southern and northern regions, demonstrated the miLab MAL's effectiveness.
Compared to traditional manual microscopy, the system achieved a remarkable sensitivity of 98.82 percent and achieved perfect specificity at 100 percent. This means the AI-powered diagnostic tool is highly accurate in detecting malaria cases while minimizing false positives.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
