All About AI Tech4Good Awards recognise AIIMS and Wadhwani Institute for AI-led solutions in health and sanitation

Healthcare is a pivotal sector for India, and has been witnessing strong growth led by a mix of corporate investments and government push. As the country transitions to a model of anytime, anywhere care for its vast population, the integration of technology and healthcare becomes crucial. According to a Nasscom report, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the field of healthcare could add $25-30 billion to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by the year 2025.

The Mint All About AI | Tech4Good Awards 2024, sponsored by Salesforce, recognised the efforts of two prestigious institutions – All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence – as they received the Gold and Silver category awards respectively in the ‘Best Use of AI in Health and Sanitation’.

How AI is shaping healthcare

AI is revolutionising healthcare in India by enabling accurate disease diagnosis, personalised treatment plans and efficient drug discovery. By analysing the vast pools of data available in the country, AI algorithms can help with timely detection of diseases such as cancer and heart-related issues so that interventions can be initiated early. Patients can also seek AI-powered medication based on their genetic make-up and medical history. Additionally, AI-powered solutions are improving sanitation practices by predicting disease outbreaks.

Through these advancements, AI is contributing to a healthier and more sustainable India. As advancements in technology pivot India towards a healthier future, the ‘Best Use of AI in Health and Sanitation’ category recognises the efforts made towards creating AI-based solutions to combat major healthcare challenges like cancer and new-born fatalities. Watch the awards webcast here,

Winner of the Gold category: AIIMS

AIIMS leverages AI for predictive healthcare with its Ioncology.ai platform, which has revolutionised early detection of breast and ovarian cancer and treatment planning. This AI-backed solution allows for timely treatment for ovarian cancer, which is ranked as the third most common gynaecological cancer in various Indian cancer registries. This form of cancer is more prevalent in younger women, under 55 years of age, and becomes more common as they advance in age.

The Ioncology.ai platform is a deep learning-based system for feature extraction, characterisation, and early detection of the India centric cancer. “Ioncology.ai has seven integrated models. These models have more than 90 per cent accurate predictions. This AI technology model is empowering cancer researchers, oncologist and tumour boards to provide early detection and personalised diagnosis and treatment for cancer patients, which is now very crucial for improving the patient outcome,” said Dr Susil Kumar Meher, Head Health IT and CISO, AIIMS, New Delhi.

AI helps with diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in a number of ways, including predicting treatment response, improving detection, integrating data, identifying tumour characteristics, predicting survival and precision healthcare. The Ioncology.ai platform is already being used in five district government hospitals, including Mathura and Faridabad and will be expanded to other centres soon.

Winner of the Silver category: Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence

The Wadhwani Institute develops scalable AI solutions addressing critical social challenges in healthcare, agriculture, and education for underserved communities for issues such as pest management for cotton farmers across 60 districts, maternal, newborn and child health in 10 Indian states. They have been awarded for developing an AI tool which can give anthropometric measurements like height and weight of a baby from 0 to 42 days of age, which is a very critical time period after the child is born. This has replaced conventional healthcare methods and transformed infant healthcare in rural India.

The neonatal period is critical for child survival, with neonatal deaths making up two-thirds of infant mortality. The Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) program, launched under India’s National Rural Health Mission, relies on regular monitoring of newborn growth and development, including weight and length measurements. However, challenges like equipment shortages, cultural barriers, and data inaccuracies hinder effective monitoring. Addressing these issues is vital to improving neonatal health outcomes in rural India.

“Our AI solution enables ASHAs to measure newborn growth metrics — weight, length, head circumference, and chest circumference — using just a smartphone video, eliminating the need for specialised tools. It works offline, ensuring access in low-connectivity, remote areas. With minimal training required, it’s simple to deploy widely. This technology can transform neonatal care in low-resource settings, providing accurate, data-driven insights for early interventions. By upholding data security, privacy, and cultural considerations, it sets a new standard for community-based healthcare, making it ideal for underserved areas,” said Nishtha Gorke, Communications Specialist at Wadhwani Institute of Artificial Intelligence.

Since May 2024, over 450 ASHAs in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Diu, and Daman have used the platform to monitor metrics for over 2,000 newborns, completing over 6,000 visits. The app’s usability and impact has been lauded and plans are underway to expand it to Maharashtra, Karnataka, and other states.

About the Salesforce All About AI | Tech4Good2024 Awards

The Mint All About AI | Tech4Good Awards 2024, sponsored by Salesforce, has set a benchmark for recognising how AI can be harnessed as a force for good, from combating climate change to democratising access to education and healthcare. This initiative aligns with the growing need for responsible and ethical AI solutions prioritising societal well-being.

The awards showcased the transformative power of artificial intelligence in addressing some of society’s most pressing challenges. With over 100 competitive entriesvying for recognition, the event highlighted the breadth of innovative AI applications across various sectors.

The awards night was attended by a prestigious gathering of 160 industry leaders, technologists, and changemakers at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai. Additionally, the event’s impact extended globally, with 12000 participants joining via livestream, demonstrating the widespread interest in AI-driven solutions for societal good.

This incredible turnout underscores the relevance of AI in driving sustainable progress and the eagerness of audiences worldwide to celebrate and learn from these groundbreaking efforts.