New Delhi, Dec 17 || In a bid to curb the rising vision loss cases due to diabetes, India has launched the first Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven community screening programme for Diabetic Retinopathy (DR).
The initiative is launched by the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), in collaboration with the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences (RPC), AIIMS, and the eHealth AI Unit of the Health Ministry.
It "marks a significant step towards strengthening early detection of diabetic eye disease and building a real-time national health intelligence framework", said the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Trained medical officers, nursing staff, and healthcare assistants will conduct screening using MadhuNetrAI -- the web-based AI tool developed by RPC.
The platform facilitates automated screening, grading, and triaging of retinal images captured using handheld fundus cameras.
The system also generates real-time data on disease prevalence and geographic distribution, supporting evidence-based planning and policy formulation.