AI Revolution: Bridging Healthcare Gaps in India and Africa

Former WHO Deputy Director-General Soumya Swaminathan emphasizes AI's potential in healthcare, particularly in regions with a scarcity of specialists. AI's image recognition capabilities can enhance radiology and pathology services. However, Swaminathan stresses the importance of safety evaluations and regulatory pathways for the large-scale adoption of AI solutions.

Former Deputy Director-General of the World Health Organisation, Soumya Swaminathan, highlighted on Friday the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in healthcare, especially in areas where the scarcity of specialist doctors is pronounced. Swaminathan pointed out that regions in India and Africa face a shortage of crucial medical professionals such as radiologists, psychiatrists, and pathologists.

Swaminathan underscored the effectiveness of AI in image and pattern recognition, aiding in the interpretation of X-rays and pathology slides, provided the algorithms are trained on high-quality datasets. She likened the introduction of AI products to new drugs or vaccines, advocating for rigorous assessment of efficacy and safety before they are scaled up and regulated.

The India AI Impact Summit, the first in the Global South, aligned with the vision of "Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya" and emphasizes the need for global cooperation on AI governance and societal impact. Key initiatives include Tata Group & OpenAI's partnership for AI infrastructure expansion in India and the launch of new AI models like BharatGen Param2, highlighting the country's commitment to AI innovation.

(With inputs from agencies.)