What can AI mean for the future of health in Timor-Leste?

25 August 2026

Feature story

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Dili: At the Presidential Palace in Dili, students from universities across Timor-Leste sat alongside civil society representatives, health officials and colleagues from UN agencies to consider a burning question: what could artificial intelligence mean for the future of health?

At the centre of the conversation was Professor Richard S. Sutton, an AI pioneer and recipient of the ACM A.M. Turing Award, often described as the Nobel Prize of computing. In Dili for the Science for Development Summit 2026, hosted by the Presidency and Government of Timor-Leste, Professor Sutton had been invited by WHO Timor-Leste for a special discussion on AI, digital health and the possibilities ahead.

He began with what he sees as a turning point in the evolution of AI. “AI is turning at last to learning from experience rather than from human input,” he said. While today’s large language models learn largely from human-produced text, systems that learn directly from experience, he argued, “will be much more powerful because they can continually learn new things.”

Then came a more realistic assessment of the technology as it exists today. "Despite the hype and fear, current AI is not powerful; it is weak," he told the room. It is useful and has therefore ignited an industry. It is also accessible to everyone, which is what has excited the public. But coming from one of the field’s pioneers, the observation offered a striking counterpoint to much of the excitement around AI.

Sr José Belo, Executive Director of HAMNASA, explained how WHO and partners support the Ministry of Health through the TB Van, bringing TB screening and services closer to communities.

When the panel took the stage, WHO Representative Dr Arvind Mathur, who moderated the discussion, brought the conversation from what AI might one day make possible to how it is already being used in Timor-Leste.

Sr José Belo, Executive Director of HAMNASA, offered one of the examples. The Ministry of Health, with support from WHO and partners, now operates a mobile TB van equipped with portable digital X-ray technology with AI, taking screening closer to communities that may struggle to reach health facilities. AI helps analyse the X-ray images rapidly and flag those requiring attention, enabling health teams to identify people who may need further testing or care more quickly.

But he was careful not to overstate the role of technology. "Health workers remain responsible for interpreting information, making clinical decisions, communicating with patients and ensuring that they receive appropriate care," he said.

The discussion then widened from individual screening to the health information system itself.

Sr Constantino Lopes, National Director of Disease Control and Prevention at the Ministry of Health, spoke about the country’s move towards digital, case-based electronic records. Combined with mobile screening services, he noted, these systems can bring services closer to communities while giving health programmes a more timely picture of what is happening across facilities.

Dr Debashish Kundu, Technical Officer for Communicable Diseases at WHO, explained why this matters. Digitalisation is not simply about knowing how many cases exist, he said, but following what is happening to each patient. Integrated case-based surveillance (ICBS) systems can help programme managers identify gaps earlier and improve continuity of care. WHO is supporting the Ministry of Health through this transition.

For Professor Sutton, such developments also point to a broader opportunity. Timor-Leste, he said, has the potential to participate actively in digital transformation. AI tools that work effectively in Tetun and respond to local realities could make the technology far more useful.

The discussion also opened up wider questions about governance, human intelligence and creativity, and how people and AI may work together in the future. These questions had particular resonance for the students in the room, who had joined the discussion from UNITAL, UCT, UNTL, UNPAZ and Dili Institute of Technology.