Davos 2025 | WEF’s Shyam Bishen on how AI can revolutionise diagnostics in India

By Shereen Bhan   January 19, 2025, 10:16:30 PM IST (Published)

Shyam Bishen, Head of the Centre for Health at World Economic Forum (WEF), highlighted the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, particularly in addressing challenges in diagnostics and healthcare delivery in India in an interaction with CNBC-TV18 at Davos .

AI is already making strides in diagnostics for diseases like breast cancer and tuberculosis (TB). AI technologies, such as systems that analyse cough sounds to detect TB, have proven to be affordable and effective. These innovations hold immense potential for scaling across India’s 1.4 billion-strong population and beyond.

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He emphasised how AI can bridge gaps in last-mile healthcare delivery, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas. Coupled with telemedicine, AI-driven solutions can make quality healthcare accessible to underserved populations in the Global South, including India.

India’s cost-effective healthcare innovations are not only transforming its domestic landscape but are also being exported to other developing and developed countries.

WEF’s Digital Healthcare Transformation initiative aims to enhance collaboration between governments, the private sector, and global stakeholders to scale AI health solutions.

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The Digital Health Activator will be launched in India next month. This initiative will focus on AI applications in healthcare, facilitating knowledge exchange and fostering ecosystems to scale solutions. Designed to bring together global insights and local activators, it represents a first-of-its-kind effort to accelerate AI-driven healthcare advancements.

For the full interview, watch the accompanying video.