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AI in Healthcare Must Bridge India's Health Inequities, Says Minister

Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel stated that AI's success in Indian healthcare must be measured by its impact on lives and its ability to address health inequities. She highlighted AI tools like the Media Disease Surveillance System, which monitors disease trends in 13 languages, and ICMR's genomic surveillance for predicting zoonotic outbreaks. The deployment of AI in TB diagnostics has led to a 16% increase in case detection and a 27% decline in negative treatment outcomes. The government is fostering this ecosystem through Centres of Excellence at major medical institutes.

Key Points: AI's Role in India's Healthcare: Impact on Lives Over Tech

  • AI measures impact by touching lives
  • Enhances disease surveillance in 13 languages
  • Boosts TB case detection by 16%
  • Predicts zoonotic outbreaks before transmission
2 min read

AI must be measured by its impact on lives, addressing health inequities: Anupriya Patel (Lead)

Minister Anupriya Patel emphasizes AI's role in addressing health inequities and improving disease surveillance, TB detection, and public health outcomes in India.

"AI for India... is not merely Artificial Intelligence but All-Inclusive Intelligence. - Anupriya Patel"

New Delhi, Feb 17

When India speaks of AI in healthcare, it is not limited to sophisticated algorithms or the promise of precision alone, but is measured by the extent to which technology touches lives and addresses health inequities across the country, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, said on Tuesday.

Speaking in a session during the 'India AI Impact Summit 2026' at Bharat Mandapam here, she highlighted the transformative role of AI in advancing public health outcomes and strengthening India's healthcare delivery systems.

Patel said that "AI for India, as our Prime Minister Narendra Modi envisions, is not merely Artificial Intelligence but All-Inclusive Intelligence."

As India advances towards the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, health forms one of the most critical pillars of development.

India's vast and diverse population, the rural-urban divide, and the dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases present unique challenges.

In such a context, she underscored, technology - particularly AI - becomes an indispensable enabler.

"AI has been integrated across the entire continuum of healthcare-from disease surveillance and prevention to diagnosis and treatment," said the minister.

The Media Disease Surveillance System, an AI-enabled tool that monitors disease trends in as many as 13 languages, generates real-time alerts, and strengthens outbreak preparedness.

This system, she said, showcases the power of AI in augmenting India's disease control efforts and enhancing surveillance capacity.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has launched AI-based tools for genomic surveillance, capable of predicting potential zoonotic outbreaks even before transmission from animals to humans occurs. Such predictive capabilities, she emphasized, represent a paradigm shift in preventive public health.

The minister also highlighted the deployment of AI-enabled handheld X-ray machines and Computer-Aided Detection tools for tuberculosis (CA-TB), which have brought advanced diagnostics closer to communities.

These innovations have contributed to approximately 16 percent additional case detection in TB. Furthermore, AI-based tools predicting adverse TB treatment outcomes have helped achieve a 27 percent decline in negative treatment results, strengthening India's fight against tuberculosis.

The government has actively worked towards building a strong AI ecosystem in healthcare, including the establishment of three Centres of Excellence for AI at AIIMS Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh, and AIIMS Rishikesh to integrate world-class AI expertise into public healthcare delivery.

Artificial Intelligence is poised to become a transformative force in public health, provided it is deployed responsibly, ethically, and at scale, said experts at the session.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
The disease surveillance system in 13 languages is a game-changer. India's diversity is our strength but also a challenge for tech. Building tools that work in rural areas with local languages is crucial. Good to see focus on equity.
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David E
As someone working in global health tech, India's scale of implementation is impressive. A 16% increase in TB detection through AI is a significant public health win. The predictive zoonotic outbreak tool could have global applications.
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Anjali F
While the vision is good, execution is key. Setting up CoEs at AIIMS is great, but what about district hospitals? We need training for doctors and nurses on the ground to actually use these tools. Hope the budget follows the big talk.
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Karthik V
My father was treated for TB last year. If AI tools can reduce negative treatment outcomes by 27%, that means fewer families going through what we did. This is technology with a human heart. Bharat Mandapam is the right place to discuss this.
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Sarah B
The ethical deployment point is critical. AI in healthcare handles sensitive data. India needs strong data protection laws alongside these innovations to build public trust, especially in rural communities.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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