Israeli researcher Lena Neufeld examines a 3D model of a malignant tumor, as part of a brain cancer research that uses patients’ cells to make 3D printed models of tumours, at Tel Aviv University, Israel August 17, 2021. Picture taken August 17, 2021. REUTERS/Nir Elias

Israel and Germany have launched a joint forum to work on advancing the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in healthcare, with the two nations keen to learn together from the lessons of the coronavirus pandemic.

As part of a three-year project, the German Israeli Health Forum for Artificial Intelligence will bring together stakeholders from the health ecosystem, startups and experts of both countries to discuss developments, regulations and applications of AI solutions in the health sector. The initiative is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Health and was established together with the European Leadership Network (Elnet).

The forum had its first conference in Berlin at the end of last week, which was attended by Israel’s Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz and his German counterpart Jens Spahn.

“Today it is clearer than ever: countries with a strong public health system are more protected in times of crisis,” said Horowitz. “The public health system in Israel, which is built on the foundations of social democracy, has saved more lives than anything else in the struggle against corona, and we will continue to strengthen it.”

The collaboration “offers the opportunity to improve the health system in both countries in the long term,” Horowitz remarked.

Germany’s healthcare system is the midst of a digital transformation, faced with a growing shortage of skilled healthcare workers and pressing demographic changes.

“We can learn a lot from each other, not only in matters of digitization, but also regarding successful vaccination campaigns,” said Spahn. “We should be guided by Israel’s example. Israel has shown the world how important booster vaccines shots are. Especially since many of those who didn’t get vaccinated until now, won’t be convinced anymore.”

In recent years Israel has grown into one of the world’s leading nations in the digitalization of health care and the use of AI in fields like medical imaging analysis and data analytics of population groups.

Digital health startups have also developed algorithms to help with the early detection of diseases and to generate more accurate medical diagnoses. Investments in Israeli digital health companies topped $1 billion in the first six months of the year — surpassing the annual amounts raised by the sector in 2020 and 2019, according to a report by Start-up Nation Central.

During his stay in Berlin, Horowitz — who is one of the few openly gay Knesset members — visited a Holocaust memorial to remember the Nazi victims from the LGBT community.

“I am proud to be the first foreign minister in the world to visit this important site in Berlin. My hands trembled as I placed this wreath, in the name of the State of Israel, at a monument dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Nazis from the LGBT community,” tweeted Horowitz on Sunday.

“Tens of thousands were sent to concentration camps, wore pink badges, underwent forced sterilization and horrific experiments. Many thousands were murdered because of who they are,” he said.