The University of Peradeniya and the Health Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) recently, to use artificial intelligence to reduce the impact of COVID-19. The MoU was also signed to create policies in carrying out experiments to reduce the impact of the pandemic. Peradeniya University Vice chancellor M. D. Lamawansa and Health Services Director General AselaGunawardena have signed a MoU at DambullaKandalama Hotel. Following that a seminar was held to introduce the research programme.

Prof. Janaka Ekanayake, Dr. Parakrama Ekanayake, Prof. Vijitha Herath and senior lecturer Roshan Godaliyaddaof the Moratuwa University’s electrical engineering department, will be monitoring the research. The research activities would be carried out by professors and lecturers working at the medical, arts and engineering faculties, with the co-operation of Thanaga University in Malaysia and financial support of the International Development Research Centre.

The research would involve 120,000 people from 3000 families.Dr.Asela Gunawardena said the health ministry and the university have taken steps to carry out a research on the spread of the pandemic, protective measures, and ways how the people should behave while using artificial intelligence technology. He said even though they are using the artificial intelligence technology for monitoring COVID-19 situations, in future the same technology would be used for monitoring other illnesses including non-communicable diseases.

Prof. Lamawansa said the Canadian government has given them financial support to carry out this programme. He said they would take maximum effort to carry out research to support the eradication of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mahesh Keerthiratna