AI a necessity for quality healthcare to all: Anupriya Patel

Union Minister Anupriya Patel has emphasized the essential role of artificial intelligence (AI) in achieving universal health coverage in India. Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit, she highlighted AI as a crucial enabler in addressing health inequities and improving healthcare accessibility across the country. With India bearing 20% of the global disease burden, Patel underscored that AI’s integration into healthcare aligns with the nation’s long-term vision under the Viksit Bharat 2047 goals, aiming for inclusivity and health equity.

Patel stressed the importance of regulatory safeguards to ensure ethical and safe AI deployment in the medical field. She also highlighted that AI is meant to augment, not replace, healthcare professionals, emphasizing the irreplaceable human touch required in patient care. To further AI literacy among doctors nationwide, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences has launched an online training program on AI in healthcare.

Her remarks position AI as a transformative force multiplier for the Indian healthcare system, capable of enhancing diagnostics, streamlining workflows, and expanding reach to underserved populations. However, Patel’s stance reaffirms that technological innovation must work hand in hand with human empathy and oversight, ensuring healthcare advancements benefit all segments of society while maintaining patient trust and safety.