Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds transformative potential to advance health equity by addressing disparities in healthcare access, quality, and outcomes. AI-driven tools can analyse vast and diverse datasets—including social determinants of health—to identify at-risk populations, tailor interventions, and optimise resource allocation to underserved communities.
Panel Members
Dr Maheshwara Rao Appanan (Ministry of Health, Malaysia) is the Director of the Digital Health Division at Malaysia’s Ministry of Health, where he leads the nation’s digital transformation agenda and policy direction for emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare. With over 17 years of experience in the healthcare system, he has been at the forefront of building Malaysia’s digital health infrastructure to ensure that innovation translates into equitable, people-centred outcomes.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Mahesh spearheaded Malaysia’s data strategy, co-developing the MySejahtera application and pioneering open data initiatives that improved transparency, trust, and real-time decision-making. Today, he continues to drive the “1 Person 1 Record” vision, connecting millions of Malaysians through a unified digital health ecosystem. His leadership has enabled nationwide interoperability, cloud-based systems for rural clinics, and the introduction of the International Patient Summary (IPS) for cross-border care.
Dr Mahesh is a strong advocate for treating AI as a public good, governed responsibly, designed inclusively, and deployed for health equity. He believes that AI should not only predict disease but also reveal inequity, empowering policymakers to act before gaps widen. His work has earned international recognition, including the HIMSS Changemaker Award in the Policy Influencer category.
A Harvard-trained health leader with a Doctorate in Public Health (DrPH) from the University of Malaya, Dr Mahesh represents Malaysia in global digital health forums and continues to champion policies that bridge the digital divide, ensuring that the benefits of AI and innovation reach every community, from urban hospitals to remote clinics across the nation.
Associate Professor Dr Jeremy Lim Fung Yen (National University of Singapore)is CEO and Co-Founder of AMiLi and Director of Global Health at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, NUS. A Fulbright Scholar with an MPH from Johns Hopkins University, he is a recognised expert in health equity, health financing, and digital health, and has advised Singapore’s Ministry of Health, the World Bank, and WHO. He will share insights on policy and ethical frameworks to ensure AI technologies advance health equity, emphasising inclusive data collection, algorithmic fairness, and multi-stakeholder collaboration for equitable, AI-driven healthcare solutions.
Professor Dr Peter A Sy (University of the Philippines) is the Assistant Vice President for Digital Transformation and Chair of the Privacy Experts Group on eHealth under the Department of Health and Department of Science and Technology, Philippines. A bioethicist and philosopher, his work spans AI ethics and governance, data privacy, open data, and research ethics. He has served as Consultant to the National Ethics Committee, Project Director for multiple EU- and DOST-funded digital education and ethics initiatives, and former Executive Officer of the International Association of Bioethics. At the conference, he will highlight the ethical and governance challenges in deploying AI in healthcare, focusing on preventing AI from exacerbating existing inequalities.
Dr Cormekki Whitley (data.org, USA)is the Chief Operating Officer of data.org, where she oversees operations, finance, human resources, and programme implementation, alongside leading financial inclusion capacity-building initiatives across the United States and Asia Pacific. With nearly three decades of nonprofit leadership experience, she previously served as Interim Executive Director and COO at the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), strengthening organisational systems and securing major funding. Her expertise includes financial management, organisational development, and change management. Deeply committed to equity and inclusion, Dr Whitley also serves on the boards of Volunteers of America and Code for Science & Society.
Moderator
Professor Dr Sanjay Rampal (Universiti Malaya, Malaysia) is the Executive Director of Research and Development at Universiti Malaya and Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health. Medically trained in India, he previously served in Malaysia’s Ministry of Health and holds an MPH from Harvard University and a PhD from Johns Hopkins University. Since joining Universiti Malaya in 2005, he has led pioneering research in the epidemiology and prevention of cardiovascular, metabolic, cancer, and infectious diseases, with expertise in research design, biostatistics, and causal inference. Having published over 120 peer-reviewed papers and supervised more than 65 postgraduate students, Dr Rampal has also served as Deputy Dean (Research) and Head of the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine. A Fellow of the Academy of Medicine Malaysia, he continues to advance public health through evidence-based research, education, and collaborative leadership.
By integrating AI into healthcare systems, we can improve chronic disease management, predictive diagnostics, and personalised care while reducing systemic biases that perpetuate inequities. This forum will explore how AI innovations can be harnessed responsibly to bridge health gaps and foster inclusive, high-quality healthcare for all.