Union Health Ministry signs a pact with Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence to explore AI for combating tuberculosis

The Central TB Division of the Health Ministry has signed a pact with Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence (WIAI) to explore the application of cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence technology in its fight against TB. As per pact, Wadhwani AI would support the National TB 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 TB Programme (RNTCP) in adoption of other AI technologies. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, India has close to 27 lakh TB cases every year and 4.23 lakh cases die. India is committed to ending TB by 2025, 5 years ahead of the Global Sustainable Development targets.