NHA CEO says AI to shape future of healthcare delivery in India

Artificial intelligence will drive the next phase of growth in India’s healthcare sector and help improve access to healthcare services till the last mile, National Health Authority (NHA) CEO Dr Sunil Kumar Barnwal said on Sunday.

Speaking at a session organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Barnwal said AI had already played an important role in developing the initial blueprints for the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

“The next phase of growth in healthcare will be driven by AI and its use across multiple touchpoints of care to empower the consumer and make health accessible to the last mile,” he said.

Barnwal also urged healthcare organisations to register under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) and adopt the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX) platform to streamline the claims settlement process.

He praised CII for engaging with healthcare organisations and payors across the country to increase awareness about NHCX and support the expansion of the digital claims settlement solution.

Addressing the session, CII Healthcare Council Chairman Dr Naresh Trehan said the ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision presented India with an opportunity to shape its healthcare system over the next 20-25 years.

“No country in the world has been able to build a perfect healthcare system,” Trehan said, while adding that India has some of the finest medical talent in the world.

He said around 22 per cent of heads of departments in leading hospitals in the United States are of Indian origin.

Former NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr VK Paul highlighted the need for strong policies governing the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare and stressed the importance of data in policymaking.

Archana Vyas, India Country Director for the Gates Foundation, said efforts were needed to prevent avoidable maternal and child deaths and noted that the organisation’s programmes were focused on reaching the most marginalised populations.