As artificial intelligence gradually revolutionizes medical practices worldwide, the 2026 Internship Scientific Days (JSI) have chosen to make it the central theme of their work. Gathering on Thursday at UCAD, around the theme: "Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Opportunities, Challenges, and Perspectives," interns, former interns, faculty researchers, practitioners, and healthcare decision-makers will spend three days exchanging ideas on the opportunities and challenges related to integrating this technology into Senegalese and African healthcare systems.

At the opening of the proceedings, the president of the Association of Interns and Former Interns of Hospitals of Senegal (AIAIHS), Dr. Gory Gning, highlighted the importance of this edition dedicated to an innovation that is already transforming medical practices, from patient care to scientific research.

According to him, artificial intelligence represents a major opportunity to improve the accuracy of diagnoses, optimize treatments, strengthen preventive medicine, and accelerate biomedical research. However, this technological evolution also brings significant challenges, particularly regarding the protection of health data, the control of algorithmic biases, and the preservation of the doctor-patient relationship.

"We are the generation that will fully practice in this new era of AI-enhanced medicine. We have a duty to understand these tools, master them, and use them as levers to improve the quality of care," said Dr. Gory Gning.

The president of AIAIHS also praised the commitment of the interns, who continue their research activities despite the demands of their training, while expressing the hope that these days will constitute a framework for reflection and collaboration for a responsible integration of artificial intelligence into the Senegalese and African health systems.

Presiding over the ceremony on behalf of the Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, the Director General of Health Establishments, Fallou Niang, stated that the choice of theme is in perfect alignment with the strategic orientations of the ministry, which aims to build a more efficient, resilient and accessible health system for all populations.

While acknowledging the progress made, Fallou Niang pointed out that several challenges remain, including strengthening qualified human resources, improving training conditions and the professional integration of young specialists.

He finally mentioned the reforms undertaken in the health sector, including the upcoming adoption of the health map, the Public Health Code, hospital reform, the national hospital policy, and the future organization of the National Ranking Examinations (ECN).

For the organizers as well as for the health authorities, these Scientific Days of the Internship constitute a privileged platform for sharing experiences, promoting medical research and reflecting on the conditions for an ethical and effective integration of artificial intelligence to improve the quality of care in Senegal.