AI is force multiplier in addressing health inequities: Union MoS Anupriya Patel at AI Impact Summit

New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, on Tuesday underscored the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India’s healthcare sector, asserting that technology must serve as a force multiplier to promote inclusivity and health equity.

Speaking at the AI Impact Summit in the national Capital, Patel said the true strength of AI lies in its ability to bridge health inequities and support India’s governance model.

“The real measure of the power of AI lies in the extent to which it is able to touch and address health inequities. That's the governance model we follow, in which AI becomes an enabler and a force multiplier, and it is able to take us closer to the goals of inclusivity and health equity,” she said.

Emphasising the government’s long-term vision, the Union Minister said India is moving ahead with the goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047, with health as a central pillar of that vision.

“Marching ahead with a big vision of building a developed nation by 2047. And when we envision a developed India, health becomes an extremely important pillar. India has unique challenges, our vast and diverse population, the rural-urban divide, and also the dual burden of non-communicable as well as communicable diseases. So when we look at these unique challenges, it becomes extremely important that we make use of technologies,” Patel said.

She added that India’s approach goes beyond mere adoption of technology and represents a strategic response to structural healthcare challenges.

“We have had comprehensive technological integration in our national healthcare framework, which we don’t see only as adoption of technology but a strategic response to the unique challenges that we have. Today, we have integrated AI across the entire health sector, from disease surveillance to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. It is everywhere, and it shows the power of AI in bringing about transformation,” she noted.

Citing examples, Patel highlighted the use of AI-driven tools such as the Media Disease Surveillance System.

“One popular example of AI tools we have used is the Media Disease Surveillance System. It helps monitor digital news in as many as 13 languages, generates disease alerts, and helps us manage real-time data. It showcases the power of AI in augmenting our efforts towards disease control and enhances our surveillance capacity,” she said.

The Minister reiterated that leveraging AI responsibly will be key to strengthening India’s public health infrastructure and ensuring equitable healthcare delivery across the country.