**Executive Summary**
This document is the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's response to Unstarred Question No. 1118, addressing the development and use of AI-based diagnostic tools in healthcare. The Ministry is actively leveraging AI and has designated AIIMS Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh, and AIIMS Rishikesh as ‘Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Artificial Intelligence' to promote AI-based solutions. CDSS integration in eSanjeevani ran from April 2023 to November 2025, and the CATB solution was utilized between March 2023 and 30th November 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **AI Initiatives and Centers of Excellence:**
* The Ministry is using AI to improve public health services.
* AIIMS Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh, and AIIMS Rishikesh are designated as ‘Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Artificial Intelligence' to promote development and use of AI-based solutions in Health.
* **Collaborations:**
* The Ministry collaborates with organizations such as the Central Tuberculosis Division, National Centre for Disease Control, CDAC-Mohali, ICMR, MeitY, Ministry of Higher Education, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and National Health Systems Resource Centre.
* The Ministry has collaborated with Wadhwani AI to provide technical support to the three COEs.
* **AI Solutions Developed:**
* The Ministry has developed the Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) in e-Sanjeevani, Diabetic Retinopathy (DR identification solution) called MadhuNetrAI, and Abnormal Chest X-ray Classifier Model.
* **MadhuNetrAI (DR identification solution):**
* Enables non-specialist health workers to screen for Diabetic Retinopathy.
* Automates DR detection by analyzing retinal fundus images, ensuring standardized, accessible, and efficient triage.
* Implemented across 38 facilities in 11 states, benefiting 7100 patients.
* **Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS):**
* Integrated into eSanjeevani to enhance consultation quality.
* 282 million eSanjeevani consultations have benefited from standardized data capture from April 2023 to November 2025.
* **Cough Against TB (CATB):**
* Used for screening pulmonary TB in community settings.
* Additional yield of 12-16% in TB reported.
* Screened more than 1.62 lakh individuals between March 2023 and November 30th, 2025.
* **Regulatory Adherence:**
* Strict adherence to AI Governance Guidelines by MeitY, Ethical Guidelines by ICMR, Information Technology Act 2000, Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023, and Information Security Policy for Healthcare.
**Impact Analysis**
**Ministry of Health and Family Welfare:**
* **Impact:** Responsible for developing and implementing AI solutions to improve public health services, particularly in areas like Tuberculosis elimination and Diabetic Retinopathy.
* **Action Required:** Continue leveraging collaborations and adhering to regulatory standards to ensure the effective and reliable operation of AI-based diagnostic tools.
**AIIMS Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh, AIIMS Rishikesh:**
* **Impact:** Designated as Centres of Excellence (CoE) for Artificial Intelligence, contributing to the promotion and development of AI-based solutions.
* **Action Required:** Promote development and use of AI based solutions in health.
**Health Workers/ Medical Professionals:**
* **Impact:** Enhanced capabilities to conduct screenings and consultations through AI-powered tools, leading to improved efficiency and accuracy in diagnosis and treatment.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the provided AI tools (MadhuNetrAI, CDSS, CATB) effectively in screening and diagnostic processes.
**Patients/Community:**
* **Impact:** Increased access to screenings for diseases like Diabetic Retinopathy and Tuberculosis, improved consultation quality, and earlier diagnosis, potentially leading to better health outcomes.
* **Action Required:** Participate in screenings and consultations offered through these AI-enhanced services.
**Central Tuberculosis Division, National Centre for Disease Control, CDAC-Mohali, ICMR, MeitY, Ministry of Higher Education, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and National Health Systems Resource Centre, Wadhwani AI:**
* **Impact:** Collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to support AI projects, provide technical expertise, and contribute to the development of AI-based solutions.
* **Action Required:** Maintain ongoing collaboration with the Ministry and provide the necessary support for AI-related initiatives.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: Primary government entity responsible for leveraging AI in healthcare, designating Centers of Excellence, and collaborating on AI projects.
AIIMS Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh and AIIMS Rishikesh: Designated as 'Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Artificial Intelligence' by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to promote AI-based solutions in health.
eSanjeevani: National telemedicine platform integrated with the 'Clinical Decision Support System' (CDSS) AI solution to enhance consultation quality.
Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023: Cited alongside other policies to ensure data management and operational reliability of AI diagnostic tools.
Information Technology Act 2000: Cited alongside other policies to ensure data management and operational reliability of AI diagnostic tools.
GOVERNMENT OFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENT OFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO: 1118
TOBE ANSWERED ON 05.12.2025
AI BASED DIAGNOSTIC TOOLSIN HEALTHCARE
1118.SHRIDAGGUMALLAPRASADARAO:
Will the Minister of HEALTH andFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) the details of AI diagnostic tools and mobile screening tools developed or supported by the
Government inthe healthcare sector,alongwith the sectors inwhich theyare deployed;
(b) the amount of funds sanctioned and disbursed for development of such tools, especially to
Government medicalhospitals or colleges,classified year-wiseandinstitute-wise;
(c) whether any assessment has been conducted to examine the productivity impact and
diagnostic efficiency of deployedAI toolsandif so, the detailsthereof;
(d) whether any private sector partnerships have been formed to ensure the development of AI
diagnostic tools or mobile screening tools, especiallyinrural areasandinAndhra Pradesh andif so,
the detailsthereof; and
(e) the regulatory mechanisms or guidelines developed so far by the Government to ensure safe
data management byAIdiagnostic toolsandmobile screening tools?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) to (e): The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to
drive transformative change in public health services across India. The Ministry of Health has
designated AIIMS Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh and AIIMS Rishikesh as ‘Centre of Excellence
(CoE) for Artificial Intelligence’ with an aim to promote development and use of AI based
solutions inHealth.
The Ministry has collaborated with key organizations such as the Central Tuberculosis Division,
National Centre for Disease Control, CDAC-Mohali, ICMR, MeitY, Ministry of Higher Education,
Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and National Health Systems Resource Centre for a variety of AI
projects, besides the Ministry has also collaborated with Wadhwani AI to provide technical support
to the three COEs. The Ministry has developed AI solutions, including the Clinical Decision
Support System (CDSS) in e-Sanjeevani, a Diabetic Retinopathy (DR identification solution), and
the Abnormal Chest X-ray Classifier Model, among others.
MadhuNetrAI (DR identification solution) is an AI solution developed to enable non-specialist
health workers to conduct screenings for Diabetic Retinopathy. It automates DR detection by
analysing retinal fundus images using artificial intelligence, ensuring standardized, accessible, andefficient triage. It classifies DR across standard grades, enabling optimized resource allocation by
prioritizing urgent cases for specialist referral. The solution has been implemented across 38
facilities in 11 states and provided AI assistance during screening of more than 14,000 retinal
imagesbenefiting7100patients.
The ‘Clinical Decision Support System’ (CDSS) AI solution has been integrated into the national
telemedicine platform, eSanjeevani, to enhance consultation quality by streamlining patient
complaints entry and providing AI-based differential diagnosis recommendations. Since CDSS
integration in April 2023 till November 2025, 282 million eSanjeevani consultations have been
benefitedfrom standardized data capture,ensuring consistency across healthandwellness centres.
Under the Tuberculosis elimination program, ‘Cough against TB’ (CATB) AI solution is used for
screening for pulmonary TB in the community settings. In the deployed geographies, the solution
has shown an additional yield of 12-16% in TB reported, over patients screenings using
conventional methods. During March 2023 and 30th November 2025, CATB solution has been
utilizedtoscreen more than1.62lakhindividuals.
Strict adherence to applicable standards and government policies, including AI Governance
Guidelines by MeitY, Ethical Guidelines for Application of AI in Biomedical Research and
Healthcare by ICMR, InformationTechnology Act 2000,Digital PersonalData Protection Act 2023
and Rules framed thereunder, and Information Security Policy for Healthcare bythe Department of
HealthandFamily Welfare,ensures highoperationalreliability.
****