India HealthTech Insights: 20th November - 26th November' 2025

 


IndiaAI & WHO launch global call for AI in health systems

The IndiaAI Mission has partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO) to announce a global call for abstracts, seeking to showcase impactful and scalable Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovations for healthcare systems. The initiative specifically targets innovators and successful use cases from the Global South to foster responsible, safe, and trustworthy AI adoption.

The selected submissions will form a comprehensive Casebook on AI Health Use Cases, which is slated to be launched at the India AI Impact Summit in 2026. This casebook is intended to serve as a vital reference for policymakers, researchers, and innovators, facilitating the replication and scaling of successful AI solutions across developing nations.

Additionally, under the “Safe and Trusted AI” pillar of the IndiaAI program, the government has selected five projects focused on improving the reliability and security of AI systems in India. These initiatives will enhance real-time deepfake detection, strengthen forensic tools, address bias in AI models, and develop evaluation mechanisms for generative AI. Together, these efforts reinforce India’s commitment to responsible and secure AI deployment in healthcare and beyond.

Read the original article at https://m.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/artificial-intelligence/indiaai-mission-who-to-spotlight-ai-applications-in-health-systems/articleshow/124664430.cms


Our Opinion: With this collaboration with the WHO, India is setting ethical standards that ensure AI models are unbiased and safe for diverse populations, rather than relying on US or European standards. This creates a powerful competitive advantage for any AI validated through this process. They will gain immediate credibility for adoption across all developing nations, accelerating the ethical distribution of diagnostic and public health tools to the areas that need them most.

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ABDM awareness session held at Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), under the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, organized an orientation and awareness session at Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU), Doimukh, in collaboration with the Department of Social Work. 

The session aimed to introduce students to ABDM’s objectives and the role of social work in advancing digital health initiatives at the community level. The program highlighted key topics such as the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA), Scan and Share facility, and the broader Digital Health Ecosystem.

It was attended by undergraduate and PhD students from the Department of Social Work, who gained insights into how they can contribute to citizen awareness during their fieldwork. The ABDM team assured ongoing support to students for outreach activities promoting digital health awareness. 

The event's emphasis was on community-focused outreach, demonstrating how digital tools can streamline access to healthcare services and supporting the broader ABDM commitment to building a digitally empowered health ecosystem in states like Arunachal Pradesh. On-the-spot ABHA IDs were also created for citizens and market vendors during the drive.

Read the original article at https://arunachal24.in/arunachal-ayushman-bharat-digital-mission-conducts-awareness-session-at-rajiv-gandhi-university/
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GIMS Greater Noida introduces ‘Scan & Pay’ module under ABDM

The Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Greater Noida has introduced the "Scan & Pay" module under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), enabling patients to make digital payments through a QR code linked to their ABHA ID. This new facility is a significant step toward reducing wait times in payment queues at registration counters, diagnostic centers, and pharmacies.

GIMS has become the first state-run medical institute in the country (outside of AIIMS facilities) to adopt the entire suite of ABDM modules, including e-prescriptions, scan and share, health record linkage, and now the digital payments system. The initiative was launched in collaboration with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), utilizing the hospital's e-Sushrut software. By adopting Scan & Pay, GIMS is streamlining the patient journey, demonstrating the feasibility of integrating digital payment functionality directly into the ABDM ecosystem.

Read the original article at https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/noida-news/gims-greater-noida-introduces-scan-pay-module-101756236100436.html

Our Opinion: The implementation of Scan & Pay immediately solves the tangible problem of long queues at payment counters and registration desks, which drastically improves the overall patient experience. Reduced administrative burden, minimized cash handling risks, and direct linkage of financial transactions to the patient's ABHA-linked medical record – this is where digital health delivers instant, measurable ROI.
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ABDM seeks ₹2,000 crore boost to extend digital health reach

The National Health Authority (NHA), the implementing agency for ABDM, is seeking a substantial budget allocation of approximately ₹2,000 crore (about $240 million) to extend the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission until 2030. This proposal, referred to as ABDM 2.0, is currently under government review and aims to secure significant funding for the next phase of India's digital health infrastructure development.

The initial five-year term of ABDM, launched with a budget of ₹1,600 crore, is set to conclude, having established the foundational ecosystem. The requested extension and larger budget are necessary to complete the digital infrastructure backbone, significantly increase the onboarding of healthcare facilities and citizens with ABHA IDs, and strengthen capacity-building efforts across the country.

Experts believe this extension is a timely and critical step to achieve integrated, longitudinal patient data, which is fundamental to leveraging AI for improved diagnosis and patient-centric outcomes across India.

Read the original article at https://www.livemint.com/news/ayushman-bharat-digital-mission-seeks-for-massive-fund-boost-to-extend-digital-health-initiative-11756727706666.html


Our Opinion: We are now shifting gradually into a permanent national health data infrastructure from the initial 5-year pilot project of ABDM. However, smaller healthcare facilities are vital access points but lag significantly in adopting and utilizing digital health technologies. There is a critical need for robust education that covers not only how to use digital platforms but also why. Maximizing outreach and education to these smaller facilities will accelerate India's nationwide digital health transformation and create a resilient health system for all citizens.

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Ministry of AYUSH to introduce AI in Ayurvedic education

The Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) is set to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) as an elective subject into the Undergraduate (UG) and Postgraduate (PG) curricula for the Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM).

This strategic move aims to modernize traditional medical education by blending ancient practices with cutting-edge technology. The ministry is working on a standardized framework to introduce AI electives focusing on various applications.

Key applications include AI-powered diagnosis to improve the accuracy of Ayurvedic treatments, data-driven personalized medicine for tailored treatments, and AI-assisted herbal research to explore and validate new formulations. The initiative aligns with global efforts to strengthen the scientific credibility and global acceptance of traditional medicine. By integrating AI, the Ministry intends to enhance research capabilities, improve treatment efficacy, and ultimately achieve the P5 medicine model: Personalized, Preventive, Predictive, Participatory, and Promotional Healthcare.

Read the original article at https://www.digitalhealthnews.com/ministry-of-ayush-to-introduce-ai-in-ayurvedic-education

Our Opinion: Ayurvedic diagnosis relies heavily on subjective, qualitative parameters (Prakriti, Dhatu, etc.). AI's success will depend entirely on successfully digitising and standardising this complex, unstructured traditional diagnostic data into a machine-readable format that is interoperable with the mainstream ABDM ecosystem. Integrating AI into Ayurvedic education is a bold step toward evidence-based traditional medicine, allowing ancient practices to achieve global scientific validation.

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Nationwide rollout of U-WIN digital vaccination platform completed

The nationwide rollout of the U-WIN digital platform, designed for the digitalization of all vaccination services under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), has been completed. U-WIN, which replicates the success of the Co-WIN platform used during the pandemic, is intended to ensure the timely administration of life-saving vaccines to approximately 2.9 crore pregnant women and 2.6 crore infants (0-1 year) annually.

Key features of U-WIN include anytime, anywhere vaccination services, automated SMS alerts for registration and reminders, a mobile application for both citizens and vaccinators, and QR-based e-vaccination certificates. The platform also features an offline mode to ensure health workers in areas without internet connectivity can record vaccination services. U-WIN's successful implementation creates a unified, real-time electronic registry for immunizations, doing away with manual record-keeping and facilitating the creation of ABHA IDs for beneficiaries.

Read the original article at https://www.business-standard.com/health/rollout-of-u-win-for-digitalisation-of-vaccination-services-completed-govt-124112900971_1.html



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