EPCON at the World Bank Retreat in Cape Town

Earlier this month, EPCON was invited to present at the World Bank retreat held in Cape Town. Our CEO, Caroline Van Cauwelaert, had the privilege of sharing how our Epi-control platform is helping Ministries of Health, NGOs, and global health actors transform how they plan, implement, and monitor public health interventions—especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Improving TB Detection through AI-Driven Diagnostics

One of the key examples shared was our collaboration with Mercy Corps, where we helped optimize the deployment of mobile chest X-ray screening vans in Nigeria. Through our AI-based modeling, we automatically generated the most strategic locations for 40 vans. This data-driven relocation effort resulted in a 100% increase in TB case detection yield—demonstrating the power of intelligent planning in maximizing the impact of diagnostic resources.

Targeting Maternal and Child TB/HIV Interventions

In another use case, we partnered with IHVN and nine other NGOs across Nigeria to support TB and HIV case detection among pregnant women and children. Our platform integrates routine programmatic data with socio-demographic and contextual indicators to map high-risk areas. This enables hyper-targeted microplanning and ensures resources are directed where they are most needed. The result: significantly improved positivity yields and better access to care in underserved communities.

AI for Pandemic Preparedness

EPCON also presented its ongoing work in pandemic preparedness, particularly in the context of viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola and Lassa fever. Our predictive models combine over 70 data sources—including case data, environmental factors, population movement, and healthcare infrastructure—to estimate disease burden and identify areas at highest risk of outbreaks. This supports governments and NGOs in acting early, planning screening and containment efforts, and deploying diagnostics and care more efficiently.

The Epi-control Platform: Four Modules for Impact

Our solutions are delivered through the Epi-control platform, which consists of four integrated modules:

1. Disease Burden Prediction – AI-based estimation of disease risk at sub-national and community levels.

2. Microplanning Support – Tools to help field teams select optimal sites and interventions for outreach activities.

3. Network Optimization – Strategic planning of diagnostic and treatment networks based on burden and access gaps.

4. Treatment Outcome Monitoring – Identification of areas or groups at high risk of treatment default or care discontinuity.

Together, these modules empower stakeholders to shift from reactive to proactive health strategies—allocating resources with precision, responding to outbreaks faster, and ultimately improving health outcomes for the most vulnerable.

Moving Forward

We’re deeply grateful to the World Bank and the organizers of the Cape Town retreat for the opportunity to showcase our work. As we continue to scale our impact, we look forward to new collaborations and partnerships that share our vision: a world where AI helps every health system become more equitable, sustainable, and resilient.

If you would like to learn more or explore collaboration opportunities, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at caroline@epcon.ai.