ACCRA -- Chinese medical technology firms at the just-ended China-West Africa Medical and Health Industry Expo have pledged to strengthen health service delivery in the region with innovative technologies.

The three-day expo, which concluded on Aug 22 in Accra, Ghana's capital, brought together more than 100 medical technology firms from China and West Africa. Organized by the Health Community of West Africa (HCOWA), a Ghana-based Chinese firm, and the Ghana Health Service, the event sought to promote the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical diagnosis and to deepen collaboration between China and West African countries.

Exhibits mainly included minimally invasive surgical equipment, AI devices for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and general diagnosis, robotic surgery systems, oxygen concentrators, and analyzers. Experts demonstrated their use, with many firms expressing readiness to form partnerships in the region.

"AI is powering health care at different levels in the world, and we want to support West African countries to introduce AI in their health care systems," Wang Peng, vice president of the marketing center of Minucon Artificial Intelligence Technology (Shanghai), said in an interview with Xinhua.

At the event, the company presented its "AI magic mirror," which conducts health checks of internal organs in 30 seconds, and its robot nurse assistant, designed to ease the workload of medical staff.

According to Wang, Minucon spent 10 years developing its AI health devices and achieved impressive results in China, adding that "this is our first encounter in Africa, and we have gathered some data that will enable us to adapt our technology and products for Africans."

Beijing-based CapitalBio Technology Co., Ltd., another exhibitor, specializes in molecular detection products. Its exhibits included integrated TCM-AI machines, automated PCR machines for genetic sequencing, diagnostic chips, micro scanners, and mycobacterium nucleic acid test kits.

Hou Xinru, marketing manager of the firm, was excited about the prospects in the health sector in West Africa.

"We are looking to partner with medical institutions, research laboratories, and pharmaceutical companies. Many of those institutions have visited our exhibition stand and expressed interest in some of our products," Hou said, adding that CapitalBio has signed a cooperation agreement with HCOWA to facilitate engagement with partners in the region.

Closing the event, Ghanaian Deputy Minister of Health Grace Ayensu-Danquah praised the Chinese companies for bringing advanced technologies, products, and services to West Africa, encouraging them to integrate these offerings into the country's health agenda.

"We want partnerships that are going to help us change the trajectory of our health systems, our vaccines manufactured here, and our technicians trained on the biomedical equipment you support us with to be able to service them in your absence," Ayensu-Danquah said.

The deputy minister called for firms to partner with the government of Ghana in the implementation of the new flagship health initiatives, including the free primary health care and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund programs, aimed at easing the financial burden of treatment on Ghanaians.