In an inspiring leap forward for public health, the Humanitarian Engineering Initiative has launched the "Health Information Bot Assistant" (HIBA), a revolutionary AI-driven chatbot developed by the Humanitarian Engineering Initiative (HEI). This collaboration between the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (MSFEA) and the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) aims to enhance health communication in low- and middle-income countries. Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through its Grand Challenges Grants, HIBA is designed to bridge the gap in health information access for underserved communities, marking a significant milestone in the pursuit of technology for public health literacy.
Meeting Critical Health Communication Needs
HIBA addresses critical challenges of health communication by delivering reiable information to vulnerable populations facing systemic barriers. The chatbot offers real-time, interactive responses to a variety of community health concerns, addressing urgent topics such as emerging infectious diseases, chronic illnesses, mental health, and reproductive health. Importantly, HIBA refrains from providing diagnostic or treatment advice, prioritizing user safety and compliance with medical regulations.
The journey to develop HIBA was thorough and methodical, involving a robust testing process to evaluate performance and gather user feedback. This comprehensive approach included corpus validation, dashboard metrics analysis, multi-phase user satisfaction assessments, and thematic analysis. Initial evaluations yielded promising results, with insights from pilot users guiding enhancements to ensure the chatbot meets the diverse needs of its audience.
Key Features of HIBA
HIBA stands out for its strong emphasis on accessibility, particularly for individuals with varying literacy levels. The chatbot supports 28 languages, ensuring users can receive information in their native tongues. Additionally, by utilizing the widely popular WhatsApp platform, HIBA maximizes accessibility and incorporates speech-to-text and text-to-speech technologies, enabling individuals with limited literacy skills to engage with the chatbot through audio.
To facilitate coherent and contextually appropriate conversations, HIBA employs advanced generative AI frameworks, including OpenAI’s GPT 4. Additionally, a performance analytics dashboard allows for continuous monitoring and optimization of the chatbot’s functionality. Through extensive testing and validation, HIBA ensures the reliability of health information, effectively meeting the evolving needs of its users.
Collaborative Efforts in Development
The development of HIBA featured a multidisciplinary core group. Key contributors include Dr. Imad Elhajj, a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Co-Coordinator of the Humanitarian Engineering Initiative, and Ms. Aline Germani, Director of the Center for Public Health Practice and an Instructor at the Faculty of Health Sciences. Additional team members included Eng. Christopher Farah, who served as the Consultant and Primary Developer, and Ms. Michelle El Kawak, who served as the Project Manager. A support team of public health professionals and health communication officers also played crucial roles in context assessment and marketing strategies.
To effectively address local community needs, the team collaborated with organizations such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC), and the Jordan Red Crescent Society (JRC). This collaboration involved front-line workers, youth volunteers, communication officers, and healthcare providers from Lebanon and Jordan, ensuring that HIBA is responsive to the specific health communication challenges faced by these communities.
A Vital Resource Amid Crisis
In the context of ongoing crises in Lebanon, HIBA can serve as a crucial resource for displaced individuals seeking reliable health information. By prioritizing accessibility and inclusivity, the chatbot empowers users to engage with sensitive health topics, fostering open dialogue around issues often stigmatized in traditional settings.
Looking ahead, the HIBA team plans to expand the chatbot’s capabilities by integrating additional language models and broadening its multilingual offerings. The cloud-based infrastructure ensures scalability and sustainability, allowing HIBA to adapt to the evolving needs of target communities.
Ultimately, HIBA represents a significant advancement in public health communication, harnessing cutting-edge AI technology to empower vulnerable populations. By dismantling barriers to information access, the chatbot not only informs but also enhances community health literacy, contributing to improved health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries.