National Health Authority CEO Sunil Kumar Barnwal announced that the government is working on a national policy to guide the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare.
Addressing a two-day ‘Chintan Shivir’ in Pune, he said emerging technologies like AI have the potential to tackle major healthcare challenges, and the proposed policy will outline a structured roadmap for their widespread adoption across health services.
Barnwal also underscored the impact of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana in easing financial pressure on citizens. Reflecting on the scheme’s seven-year journey, he noted that data-driven transparency and AI will play a crucial role in shaping the next phase of healthcare transformation in India.
During the event, the NHA launched its digital academy and released a compilation of new guidelines along with the NHCX strategy paper.
Speaking at the session, Minister of State for Health Meghna Sakore Bordikar highlighted the state government’s focus on leveraging advanced technologies. She reiterated the aim to expand AI and tech-driven solutions across departments to improve healthcare delivery.
Bordikar also emphasised preventive healthcare, noting that Maharashtra has taken the lead in specialised services. She said the state has introduced dedicated menopause clinics, which have already benefited more than 17,000 women since their launch in January.
The first day of the camp included a review of key performance indicators under ABPMJAY and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, with states such as Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar sharing updates and experiences on digital health initiatives.
The ‘Chintan Shivir’ will continue on Saturday with demonstrations of the NHCX-enabled health management information system and presentations from the health data analytics unit.