NHA and IIT Kanpur Partner to Revolutionize AI in Healthcare

The National Health Authority (NHA) and IIT Kanpur have signed an MoU to develop digital public goods for AI in healthcare. The collaboration aims to create a federated learning platform, a quality-preserving database, and an open benchmarking platform under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. This initiative seeks to enhance health outcomes and democratize access to quality healthcare in India.

The National Health Authority (NHA) and IIT Kanpur have joined forces to develop digital public goods for Artificial Intelligence in healthcare, formalized through a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The collaboration involves creating a federated learning platform, a quality-preserving database, and an open benchmarking platform as part of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). This initiative will be overseen by the NHA, which aims to unlock the potential of AI for improved health outcomes, according to a Union Health Ministry statement.

Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra lauded the agreement, emphasizing its role in enhancing the use of data for better health results. The initiative will serve as a public benchmark for AI models in quantifying and diagnosing diseases, addressing issues related to the availability and efficacy of diagnostic data.

IIT Kanpur Director Professor Manindra Agrawal highlighted that the new platform will democratize access to quality healthcare, empowering researchers, healthcare providers, and policymakers. The platform will enable genuine out-of-set validation for AI models, fostering trust in the healthcare consumer market and addressing data fragmentation in the country.

Protected against statistical dredging, the platform will allow researchers to access and analyze health data while maintaining data fiduciaries' data custody, balancing openness and innovation with data protection.

(With inputs from agencies.)