The use of artificial intelligence (AI) has been encouraged in the healthcare sector by government think tank Niti Aayog. Agriculture, education, infrastructure (including smart cities) and smart mobility and transportation were the other sectors where state governments and Union ministries were urged to investigate potential applications of AI. Niti Aayog has previously expressed that by […]
digital health
India’s digital health push goes international at BRICS
In a meeting of BRICS nations, India is expanding its digital health push to the international level by hosting a summit on the same. The BRICS summit – bringing together Brazil, China, India, Russia, and South Africa – is taking place in Brazilian capital Brasilia with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in attendance. “The Prime Minister […]
Kerala’s startups touted for their role in cancer care
Health minister K. K. Shailaja has emphasised the importance of Kerala’s startups in the state’s healthcare system. Speaking at a symposium jointly organised by the Cochin Cancer Research Centre and Kerala Startup Mission, Shailaja touted the role of Kerala’s startups in care for diseases such as cancer. “We at the ministry keep getting requests for […]
E-pharmacy regulation on the cards as ministers meet
E-pharmacy regulation is being discussed by ministers as the industry grows by leaps and bounds in India. The sector, which accounts for between two and three percent of the US$20 billion pharma market in India at present, is expected to grow sevenfold by 2022 when it is expected to be valued at US$3.7 billion compared […]
A digital health blueprint for universal healthcare
Dr Harsh Vardhan has urged stakeholders to work towards implementing India’s digital health blueprint in order to facilitate a digital health economy. “[The] Government of India is committed to ensuring high quality healthcare, accessible to all upto the last mile,” said Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Science and Technology. “The digital […]
Oral health awareness: AIIMS and Health Ministry partner up
In an effort to raise oral health awareness in India, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have collaborated to launch a digital program called ‘e-DantSeva’. The platform, in the form of a website and mobile app, will provide information concerning the government-run National Oral […]
Start-ups get a shoutout from Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has touted the role of start-ups in India’s economy – and highlighted their value as a tool for improving public health. “Today, India is aspiring to become a $5 trillion economy,” the Prime Minister said whilst speaking at the 56th convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) in Chennai. “Your […]
The continuing vulnerability of health data
The health data of millions is publicly accessible worldwide, recent reports have said. US non-profit organisation ProPublica and German public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk released the investigation, which found that “medical images and health data …including X-rays, MRIs and CT scans, are sitting unprotected on the internet and available to anyone with basic computer expertise.” This […]
Cyberattacks: A crisis in Indian pharma?
The pharmaceutical sector in India is the sixth most-affected industry of its kind in the world in terms of cyberattacks. Attempted malicious attacks hit almost 45 percent of the sector’s devices in India last year, an increase from 44 percent the year before. Only the pharmaceutical industries in Pakistan, Egypt, Mexico, Indonesia, and Spain were […]
AYUSH Grid: A national network for alternative medicine
The Union Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) will develop an ‘AYUSH Grid’, connecting alternative medicine centres nationwide. The network will make it easier to assess the efficacy of alternative medicine systems, enabling AYUSH hospitals and laboratories to share data such as case studies and observation reports. This will be […]