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The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) recently hosted a pivotal Global Technical Consultation Group meeting on “Artificial Intelligence for Global Health: Advancing Traditional Medicine”.
The event was a hybrid gathering that drew participants from 15 countries, alongside representatives from prominent global institutions like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, opened the event by emphasising the importance of integrating digital technologies into healthcare. Citing the National Health Policy 2017, Kotecha highlighted the need for e-health, m-health, cloud computing, IoT, and AI to enhance healthcare delivery. He stressed that these tools are crucial for improving communication about Ayush services and supporting community healthcare.
The meeting marked a significant step towards the launch of a technical brief on AI in traditional medicine, scheduled for October 2024. The collaboration between AIIA, WHO’s Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC), and the Department of Digital Health and Innovation (AI and digital frontiers unit) aims to produce a comprehensive WHO-WIPO guidance on AI and intellectual property, alongside a global repository on traditional medicine applications of AI and a training module for experts.
In her address, Professor Tanuja Nesari, Director of AIIA, described the consultation as an essential opportunity to refine the draft policy on AI in traditional medicine. She expressed optimism about the upcoming technical brief, which will incorporate insights from diverse regions and sectors.
Dr Manoj Jhalani, Director of Health Systems at WHO SEARO, highlighted AI’s potential in discovering new therapeutic approaches and optimising treatments, thus increasing the global relevance of traditional medicine.
Mr Sameer Pujari, Lead of AI and Digital Frontiers at WHO emphasised the ongoing Global Initiative on AI for Health. This initiative aims to implement AI in health through normative products, build a community of practice, and support governments in developing effective AI policies.
Dr Karthik Adappa, Regional Advisor for Digital Health at WHO SEARO, discussed the rapid growth of AI in health and the challenges of inequities. He pointed out the widening gap between developed and developing countries, underlining the need for ethical AI, addressing infrastructural limitations, and protecting privacy.
The event also featured distinguished guests such as Fei Jiao from WIPO/UN, Maki Kajiwara from WHO TMC, Dr Jeremy Y. Ng from Canada, Dr Kai Siang from Malaysia, and representatives from entities like Wipro, the Association of Medical Reporting Organisations (AMRO), and leading Contract Research Organisations (CROs).
Overall, the meeting set the stage for broader international collaboration in leveraging AI for global health, while advancing the practice of traditional medicine on a worldwide scale.
India recognises the importance of technology in healthcare and this is reflected in the government’s commitment to enhancing healthcare accessibility, affordability, and quality through AI and digital innovation.
The National Health Authority (NHA) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to revolutionise Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
The agreement will develop a federated learning platform integrating AI tools such as machine learning pipelines and a quality-preserving database. This platform will enhance diagnostics, treatment, and health outcomes in India by providing high-quality data access and a robust benchmarking system for AI models.
The MoU is poised to address challenges related to data fragmentation and limited diagnostic information. It aims to create reliable AI models with publicly verifiable benchmarks and streamline data access while ensuring security and privacy.
Such initiatives epitomise significant steps towards advancing AI in India’s healthcare system, underscoring the government’s mission to improve healthcare quality and accessibility through digital innovation.