“Revolutionizing Public Health: How the Health Ministry Plans to Safely Leverage Artificial Intelligence”
New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry is taking significant strides towards utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) safely and effectively in the realm of public health across the nation.
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan highlighted in the Lok Sabha on Friday that the central government is focused on addressing the existing gaps in India’s AI ecosystem to harness its potential economic benefits by enhancing AI technology capabilities.
“The possibilities of AI in the field of public health are currently being actively explored in our country. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) is dedicated to implementing AI in a manner that is both safe and effective for public health in India,” he remarked during Question Hour.
Vardhan outlined several initiatives undertaken by the government aimed at using AI in public health, including the Imaging Biobank for Cancer. This project, spearheaded by the NITI Aayog in collaboration with the Department of Bio-Technology (DBT), seeks to create a comprehensive database of cancer-related radiology and pathology images from over 20,000 cancer patient profiles, concentrating on the most common types of cancer in India.
He also mentioned that the NITI Aayog is leveraging AI technology for the early detection of diabetic retinopathy.
The minister explained that the NITI Aayog is presently developing an institutional framework, funding strategies, and other essential measures to fulfill India’s aspirations in AI.
Vardhan pointed out that the NITI Aayog, after thorough consultations with various ministries, distinguished academicians, institutions, practitioners, and industry experts, unveiled India’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in June 2018.
“Through this strategy and its subsequent initiatives, we are actively pursuing the following key AI recommendations,” he stated.
