The research team of the newly funded project “SmartPLAIGO: Advancing Public Health Services Through AI Driven GIS Optimization (CODEVELOP-AG-SH-HE/0823/0112)” is pleased to announce a significant development towards improving public health services in Cyprus, through the use of advanced optimization algorithms and cutting-edge technologies to guide the routing of ambulances of the State Health Services Organization.

On April 18, 2024, Dr. Maria Anastasiadou, Principal Investigator of SmartPLAIGO and Researcher at Eratosthenes, signed a contract with the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) to secure support for the project ‘Advancing Public Health Services through AI-Driven GIS Optimization.’ This initiative is supported by a budget of €600,000, which represents a major investment in health technology and innovation. SmartPLAIGO is a pioneering initiative that aims to transform emergency healthcare services by utilizing mathematical programming techniques, cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technologies. The project focuses on optimizing ambulance dispatching, improving response times, and enhancing overall public health infrastructure.

This collaborative effort includes partnerships with the Eratosthenes CoE as the coordinator, Cyprus University of Technology (CUT), Stremble Ventures Ltd (STR), and the State Health Services Organization (SHSO), all of which together aim to enhance public health services.

Dr. Maria Anastasiadou, the project leader, emphasizes the significance of this collaboration: “The signing of the contract with the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) formalizes our collaboration and propels us towards transforming public health services through advanced technology. Our objective is to leverage AI-driven GIS to optimize the allocation of health resources and enhance the quality and effectiveness of health services provided throughout Cyprus.”

The project is an integral component of the Research and Innovation Foundation’s ongoing commitment to advancing technological innovation in healthcare. By fostering such initiatives, RIF aims to elevate Cyprus as a hub of research excellence and technological application in the medical field and beyond.