A global technical consultation group meeting on “Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Global Health: Advancing Traditional Medicine” was held at All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in collaboration with the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre and the Department of Digital Health and Innovation on September 11 and 12 in the national capital.
Around 60 participants from 15 countries took part in the meeting, including Sameer Pujari, AI lead, Digital Health and Innovations, WHO; Dr. Karthik Adapa, Regional Advisor, Digital Health, WHO South-East Asia Region; and Maki Kajiwara, Technical Officer, Digital Health, GTMC.
AIIA Director Prof. (Dr.) Tanuja Nesari welcomed the guests in the presence of Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of Ayush. The two-day meeting discussed the potential of AI in advancing traditional medicine and improving global health outcomes.
“AI has the potential to bring the wisdom of traditional medicine to global audiences, elevating it from being regionally specific to globally relevant,” said Dr. Manoj Jhalani, Director of Health Systems, WHO SEARO.
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of Ayush, emphasized the importance of integrating digital technologies in healthcare, as envisioned in the National Health Policy 2017.
“The policy envisions the integration of e-health, m-health, cloud, Internet of Things, and Al in healthcare delivery. It aims to use digital tools for generating and sharing information about Ayush services and practitioners, promoting traditional community healthcare,” Kotecha said.
“There is a divide between countries when it comes to government readiness in accepting AI in health,” said Dr Karthik Adapa, Regional Advisor, Digital Health, WHO SEARO, “However, with India and Indonesia leading the charge, the region’s AI market is expected to grow.”
The meeting decided to launch a technical brief on AI in Traditional Medicine by October 2024. “This will facilitate building a community of practice to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and working with government to implement policies of Al in Health,” said Sameer Pujari, AI lead, Digital Health and Innovations, WHO.
The meeting sets the stage for broader international collaboration in harnessing AI for global health while promoting the advancement of traditional medicine practices worldwide.
