Government explores artificial intelligence to combat TB

New Delhi: Government is exploring Artificial Intelligence (AI) for tackling the burden of tuberculosis (TB) in India. The Central TB Division of the Union Health Ministry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Mumbai to explore the application of cutting-edge AI technology in its fight against the disease. The health ministry officials said that as a part of the collaboration, Wadhwani AI will support National TB programme become AI-ready which would include, developing, piloting, and deploying AI-based solutions. It would support the programme in vulnerability and hot-spot mapping, modelling novel methods of screening and diagnostics and enabling decision support for care-givers apart from supporting the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) in adoption of other AI technologies. "The RNTCP has been at the forefront of adoption of newer technologies in healthcare. The AI provides a unique opportunity for the health sector, bringing efficiency, saving resources and bringing accuracy in interpretation and enhancing quality of service delivery. Its use in this sector has an ample scope to improve outcomes, especially in situations where resources are limited," reads an official statement from Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.