Imagine a healthcare worker in a remote corner of Timor-Leste, facing a complex patient case with limited access to specialist advice. This is the daily reality for many healthcare providers in Timor-Leste, where clinical guidance is often hard to come by, for good reason. Now, picture that same healthcare worker receiving instant, guideline-based medical advice on their phone—directly in their native language, Tetun. This is what Medibot is all about.
Medibot is an AI-powered clinical decision support chatbot, designed to transform how primary care is delivered in Timor-Leste. Fresh off winning a prestigious MIT award, Medibot is helping healthcare workers access the guidance they need in real time, empowering them to make better decisions for their patients.
Empowering Healthcare in Timor-Leste with Medibot
Medibot is more than just a chatbot; it’s a way of delivering high-quality, evidence-based healthcare in the most efficient way possible. Maluk Timor has always prioritized efficiency, making the most of the scarce resources available to us in Timor-Leste. Medibot continues this tradition, accessible through popular messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, Medibot offers instant, guideline-based medical advice, delivering context-specific recommendations in Tetun, the local language.
In Timor-Leste, where clinical expertise can be difficult to access—particularly in remote areas—Medibot is becoming an essential tool for healthcare workers on the frontlines. Trained on Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Health guidelines, Medibot integrates advanced validation methods such as self-critique, peer review, and community moderation to ensure accuracy and trust. Our goal is to scale Medibot to reach 1,200 doctors, potentially impacting the health of 1.5 million people.
Global Recognition for a Local Solution
EquiTech’s innovative work with Medibot has earned it a place among the top thirty projects recognized by MIT Solve’s 2024 Global Challenges, out of more than 2,200 applications from 130 countries. On September 23, Chi Ling Chan, Founder and Director of EquiTech, presented Medibot at the Solve Challenge Finals held in conjunction with the United Nations General Assembly and Climate Week. This recognition underscores Medibot’s potential to make a tangible difference where it’s needed most.
Partnering for Impact
The partnership between EquiTech and Maluk Timor represents a shared commitment to bridging healthcare gaps in Timor-Leste. Medibot is already in use across our Maluk Timor health and training staff, and we’re excited to see the impact as it scales. “Medibot harnesses the power of AI to help doctors deliver better care for patients in health systems across low and middle-income countries (LMICs),” says Chi Ling Chan.
Associate Professor Jeremy Lim emphasized, “It’s essential to share technological advancements with underserved communities.” Natarajan Rajaraman, Executive Director of Maluk Timor, added, “We are working together to bring the world’s newest technologies to address some of the world’s oldest challenges.”
Expanding Our Reach
Although we’re just getting started with Medibot in Timor-Leste. We are also hoping that by test driving this AI-driven support, we can encourage other countries facing similar challenges. By expanding Medibot’s reach, EquiTech hope to create a future where healthcare workers everywhere—no matter how remote—have the tools they need to provide the best possible care.
Our mission is simple: to transform healthcare for the better, ensuring that no community is left behind when it comes to access to quality medical care.
Together, we’re using smart solutions like Medibot to tackle preventable diseases, transforming healthcare, and making a lasting impact on improving healthcare in Timor-Leste.
Watch their MIT Solve Challenge video below.