AI Emerging as Game-Changer for Public Health: Anupriya Patel at AI Impact Summit

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Smt. Anupriya Patel today said Artificial Intelligence is becoming a transformative force in India's public health ecosystem, addressing inequities and strengthening healthcare delivery at scale.

Speaking at the session "Innovation to Impact: AI as a Public Health Game-Changer" during the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, she emphasized that AI must be inclusive, scalable, and patient-centric to deliver meaningful health outcomes.

"AI for India Means All-Inclusive Intelligence"

Delivering the keynote address, Smt. Patel said that as envisioned by the Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, AI for India stands for "All-Inclusive Intelligence."

"When we speak of AI in healthcare, it is not limited to sophisticated algorithms. Its success is measured by the extent to which technology touches lives and addresses health inequities," she said.

Highlighting the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, she noted that healthcare remains a critical pillar of national development, especially given India's vast population, rural–urban divide, and dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

"In such a context, AI becomes an indispensable enabler," she added.

AI Integrated Across the Healthcare Continuum

The Minister outlined how AI is being deployed across the entire healthcare spectrum — from surveillance and prevention to diagnosis and treatment.

AI-Enabled Disease Surveillance

She highlighted the Media Disease Surveillance System, which monitors disease trends in 13 languages, generates real-time alerts, and enhances outbreak preparedness.

"This system demonstrates how AI can augment India's disease control and surveillance capacity," she said.

Under the One Health Mission, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has launched AI-based genomic surveillance tools capable of predicting potential zoonotic outbreaks before animal-to-human transmission occurs — marking a paradigm shift in preventive healthcare.

AI Boosting India's TB Fight

Smt. Patel also showcased the impact of AI in tuberculosis control:

• AI-enabled handheld X-ray machines and Computer-Aided Detection (CA-TB) tools have improved diagnostic outreach.

• These innovations have contributed to approximately 16% additional case detection.

• AI tools predicting adverse TB treatment outcomes have helped achieve a 27% decline in negative treatment results.

"These outcomes show how technology can close gaps in resource-constrained settings," she noted.

Centres of Excellence and Ecosystem Development

To institutionalize AI in healthcare, the Government has established three Centres of Excellence for AI at:

• AIIMS Delhi

• PGIMER Chandigarh

• AIIMS Rishikesh

These centres aim to integrate advanced AI expertise directly into public healthcare systems.

The Minister emphasized that solutions must be scalable, frugal, and capable of addressing systemic gaps in a country of India's size.

AI to Augment, Not Replace, Clinicians

Clarifying concerns about automation, Smt. Patel stressed that AI is designed to assist healthcare professionals, not replace them.

"Medicine is not only a science; it is also an art," she said."Healthcare thrives on empathy, compassion, and communication — qualities that machines cannot replicate."

By automating routine and high-intensity tasks, AI allows doctors to focus on complex clinical decision-making.

Building an AI-Literate Medical Workforce

The Minister underscored the need for future-ready healthcare professionals and announced that the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences has launched an online AI training programme for doctors, equipping them with digital competencies for a technology-driven future.

NITI Aayog: AI Key to Universal Health Coverage

Prof. V. K. Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, described AI as a strategic opportunity to accelerate universal health coverage.

He said AI can:

• Strengthen primary healthcare

• Enable early diagnosis

• Improve disease surveillance

• Support evidence-based policymaking

He emphasized the need for interoperable digital health infrastructure, robust regulatory frameworks, ethical safeguards, and continuous validation to maintain safety and public trust.

Industry Perspective: AI Must Be Integrated with Clinical Workflows

Shri Roy Jakobs, CEO of Royal Philips, said AI's greatest impact will be in healthcare, where systems globally face rising demand and workforce shortages.

However, he cautioned that AI must be supported by:

• Robust data governance

• Interoperable systems

• Clinical workflow integration

• Transparent and explainable models

"Healthcare runs on trust," he said, noting that AI systems must maintain clinical confidence and patient safety.

He also commended India's digital health ecosystem, including Ayushman Bharat, for laying the foundation for interoperable data systems necessary for AI-driven impact.

Moving from Pilot Projects to System-Level Integration

The session concluded with a consensus that AI must move beyond pilot initiatives to full-scale system integration supported by:

• Quality data

• Interoperable digital infrastructure

• Ethical and regulatory safeguards

• Public-private collaboration

Speakers collectively emphasized that while AI can dramatically enhance surveillance, diagnostics, and system efficiency, it remains a tool to augment human expertise.

The deliberations reinforced a shared commitment to deploying AI responsibly and inclusively to strengthen India's healthcare system and contribute to global health resilience.