In a quiet village in Kurukshetra, Haryana, a frontline health worker moves from door to door, her smartphone in hand. Instead of a stethoscope, she uses an app to record the cough sounds of residents. This simple act, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), is part of a quiet revolution transforming public health delivery in India's most remote corners.
AI on the Frontlines: From Cough Sounds to Portable X-Rays
The app, named Cough Against TB, analyses the recorded cough against a database of tuberculosis patients' coughs, instantly flagging potential cases for confirmatory testing. This innovative approach has already screened approximately 1.62 lakh patients in campaigns across Haryana, Mumbai, and Mizoram, leading to a notable 13% increase in diagnoses compared to standard national programme screening. While the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) continues its validation, a pilot has been launched in 91 districts across 17 states.
Simultaneously, AI is breathing new life into old infrastructure. Many primary health centres have X-ray machines but lack radiologists. Enter AI-enabled, handheld X-ray devices—cameras that capture and interpret chest images in seconds. They detect tell-tale white patches on lungs, indicative of TB, often before symptoms like coughing appear. At least 473 such portable devices are already in use, with 1,500 more slated for deployment soon. ICMR-approved devices, including those developed by Indian companies, have helped identify nearly 2.85 lakh additional asymptomatic TB cases.
Smart Support Systems: Guiding Doctors and Tracking Outbreaks
The integration of AI extends to the government's massive telemedicine platform, e-Sanjeevani, which has facilitated over 43 crore consultations. An AI-powered Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) now assists doctors. By analysing data from over six crore consultations, it can recognise 300 symptoms related to common ailments like respiratory infections, gastritis, and diabetes.
"With high accuracy in its top three recommendations, it acts as a smart filter that reduces doctors' workload," explain health ministry sources. Crucially, the doctor remains in control, able to accept or reject AI suggestions, with their feedback continuously refining the system.
AI's vigilance is also reshaping disease surveillance. Gone are the days of teams manually scouring newspapers. A new AI model scans news articles in 13 different languages, hunting for reports of outbreaks or unusual disease clusters. "Over time, the algorithm has learnt what we are looking for and accurately flags news," says Dr. Himanshu Chauhan, head of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme. This has resulted in a 150% increase in actionable alerts, freeing officers for critical response planning.
Preventing Blindness and Building the Last Mile
The fight against non-communicable diseases is getting an AI boost too. A team from AIIMS, led by Professor of Ophthalmology Dr. Radhika Tandon, developed MadhuNetrAI. This AI model integrates with existing fundus cameras at primary health centres to screen retinal images for early signs of diabetic retinopathy—a leading cause of blindness.
"The challenge is that patients may not realise the damage till an advanced stage," notes Dr. Tandon. "The idea is to screen diabetic patients for retinopathy at the same location, at the same time." Her team is working on similar tools for other eye diseases like glaucoma.
Experts highlight that the true power of these AI solutions lies in their synergy with India's vast network of frontline workers—ASHA and ANM workers. "AI solutions can reach people in the remotest parts of the country," emphasizes Dr. Tandon. From screening for breast cancer and oral health to dermatology, AI is systematically addressing gaps in national health programmes, promising to build resilient last-mile access in India's public health infrastructure.
