Decentralised Health Systems: Bridging India's Digital Divide

India needs decentralised, language-based health models tailored to local realities, as emphasized by Padma Jaiswal at the Health of India Summit 2026. These models are vital to overcoming the country's digital gap and improving health outcomes, with promising pilot results seen in regions like Goa and Puducherry.

At the Health of India Summit 2026, Padma Jaiswal, Secretary to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, expressed the necessity for decentralised language-based models tailored to local realities to bridge India's digital divide.

Highlighting the need for hybrid models, Jaiswal emphasized that locally trained small models, reflecting the country's diverse languages and situations, are crucial for achieving effective health outcomes.

The promising results from pilot projects in Goa and Puducherry demonstrate the importance of focusing on decentralised systems over large language models for successful therapeutics and diagnostics across India's varied regions.