The Finocchiaro CLP Government is strengthening health innovation in the Territory with the global recognition of an AI project designed to reduce the rate of ear disease and hearing loss in remote communities.
NT Hearing Services has developed a cutting-edge tool that combines AI-powered geospatial mapping with analytics to track the prevalence of ear conditions and hearing loss across 93 communities and outstations in the NT.
Minister for Health Steve Edgington said the ground-breaking project, which won a prestigious award at the international AI for Good Global Summit 2025 in Geneva, will play a significant role in improving ear and hearing health outcomes, especially for vulnerable Territorians.
"Aboriginal children have the highest rate of middle-ear infections in the world," he said.
"If left untreated, this can cause hearing loss and affect speech, language development and learning, as well as resulting in long-term damage to ears.
"This standout innovative tool, developed by our Territory health practitioners, will be made available to remote communities across the Territory to track changes in ear and hearing health.
"In our year of action, this is exactly the kind of innovation we're proud to back-cutting-edge Territory-led solutions that deliver better health outcomes and lasting change.
"Projects like this play a key role in our government's commitment to deliver healthcare certainty and security to Territory patients."
To highlight the importance of preventing middle-ear infections across the Territory, NT Hearing Services collaborated with a team from Microsoft who visited Maningrida last year and filmed a short video about the Drumbeat AI project, which featured on The Prompt by Microsoft's Chief Questions Officer Trevor Noah.
NT Hearing Services worked with Microsoft and partnered with Charles Darwin University to progress the research project and map development.
The project, called Geospatial Mapping of Otitis Media and Social Determinants in Remote Northern Territory Communities, was selected as one of 10 winners from a pool of 234 submissions across 32 countries, at the annual AI for Good Global Summit.
NT Hearing Services Director, Prasha Sooful said: "This achievement recognises the hard work, dedication and expertise of our team in making a difference to the community by improving hearing health outcomes across the NT.
"We are proud to be part of a key project that informs our services and commitment of care to Territorians."
The algorithm in the AI map is based on NT Health and ABS data and highlights how they can be used by different agencies for various purposes.
NT Hearing Services will now finalise the data and run the AI algorithms for predictive analysis, with the map expected to be complete by 2026.
"The map can be broadened beyond health conditions to look at schools, roads, infrastructure and housing, and gives context to the remoteness of communities," Mr Edgington said.
"It can also be shared with other states and territories as an example of using data in a meaningful way for a range of health conditions."
