AI to Empower Doctors, Says Damodar

India’s Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha highlighted AI’s transformative potential in healthcare during the AI in Healthcare 2.0 conference in Hyderabad. He emphasized that AI, combined with genomics and digital health innovations, enables disease prediction, prevention, and personalized treatment. Rajanarsimha noted that AI-based systems like X-ray analysis, early sepsis detection, and fatty liver identification are already being introduced in public hospitals. The government plans to expand AI-powered diagnostics to district hospitals, ensuring advanced care reaches areas lacking specialist doctors. Rajanarsimha stressed AI will empower—not replace—doctors, becoming a life-saving tool in medical practice. The conference, held at private hospitals in Hitec City, brought together experts from Google, Microsoft, IIIT Hyderabad, IIT Hyderabad, ISB, Novartis, Stanford University, King’s College London, Medtronic, and TCS. Dr Chinnababu Sunkavalli, a robotic surgical oncologist, described AI as a force redefining healthcare through accurate diagnoses, efficient workflows, and personalized treatment strategies. Participants discussed AI’s role in improving clinical decision-making and global healthcare transformation. Rajanarsimha concluded that technology’s ultimate goal must remain enhancing patient outcomes and saving lives.