Union Minister Anupriya Patel participates in a Session on “Innovation to Impact:

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Smt. Anupriya Patel today participated in a session on the theme “Innovation to Impact: AI as a Public Health Game-Changer” during the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam. The session spotlighted the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence in advancing public health outcomes and strengthening India’s healthcare delivery systems.

Addressing policymakers, healthcare leaders, technology experts, researchers, and industry stakeholders while delivering the keynote address, Smt. Anupriya Patel, Hon’ble Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, highlighted that “AI for India, as our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi envisions, is not merely Artificial Intelligence but All-Inclusive Intelligence.” She emphasized that when India speaks of AI in healthcare, it is not limited to sophisticated algorithms or the promise of precision alone, but is measured by the extent to which technology touches lives and addresses health inequities across the country.

She stated that as India advances towards the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, health forms one of the most critical pillars of development. India’s vast and diverse population, the rural–urban divide, and the dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases present unique challenges. In such a context, she underscored, technology—particularly AI—becomes an indispensable enabler.

Emphasizing scalability and affordability, Smt. Patel stated that in a large population, resource-constrained setting like India, solutions must be scalable, frugal, and capable of addressing systemic gaps. She noted that the Government has actively worked towards building a strong AI ecosystem in healthcare, including the establishment of three Centres of Excellence for AI at AIIMS Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh, and AIIMS Rishikesh to integrate world-class AI expertise into public healthcare delivery.

Addressing the summit, Prof. V. K. Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, emphasized that Artificial Intelligence presents a strategic opportunity to transform India’s healthcare landscape and accelerate progress towards universal health coverage. He noted that given India’s scale, diversity, and dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, technology-driven, evidence-based interventions are essential to strengthen service delivery and improve health outcomes.

Speaking at the Occasion, Roy Jakobs, Chief Executive Officer of Royal Philips, stated that AI will have its greatest impact in the field of healthcare. He observed that health systems across the globe are under immense pressure due to rising demand, workforce shortages, and increasing complexity of care, making the integration of AI not just an opportunity but a necessity.(updated on 17th Feb 2026)