AI to Transform Public Health Delivery, Says Union Health Secretary at AI Impact Summit 2026

New Delhi | DNTV English

Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava emphasized the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in strengthening India’s public healthcare system while addressing the AI Impact Summit 2026.

Speaking during the panel discussion titled “Scaling AI for Public Health Impact: Public-Private Partnership,” she highlighted how strategic AI integration is driving scalable, interoperable, and outcome-based innovation in healthcare delivery.

Digital Health Ecosystem Gaining Momentum

The Union Health Secretary underscored the role of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission in creating a unified digital health infrastructure across the country. She noted that the mission is enabling seamless health data exchange, improving transparency, and supporting AI-enabled innovations in diagnostics and disease surveillance.

According to her, India’s digital public health architecture is being designed to ensure scalability, data security, and measurable health outcomes.

Strengthening Primary Healthcare

Highlighting grassroots healthcare transformation, Srivastava pointed to the impact of Ayushman Arogya Mandir in strengthening primary healthcare delivery, particularly in rural and underserved regions.

She stated that digital enablement of primary healthcare centres is helping bridge accessibility gaps and improving service efficiency at the community level.

Telemedicine Expanding Nationwide

The Union Health Secretary also highlighted the success of eSanjeevani, India’s national telemedicine platform, which has significantly expanded access to remote consultations.

She noted that telemedicine services are reducing patient travel burdens while ensuring timely medical advice, especially in geographically challenging areas.

Public-Private Partnership Crucial for AI Scaling

During the discussion, Srivastava stressed that effective public-private collaboration is essential to scale AI-driven solutions in healthcare. Partnerships with technology innovators, research institutions, and healthcare providers are accelerating the development of secure and ethical AI frameworks.

She concluded that India’s approach to AI in public health is not only strengthening service delivery domestically but also positioning the country as a global model for digital health innovation.