AI and the Public Health Question: Can Technology Fix India’s Systemic Gaps?

Varanasi: At a time when India’s public health system is grappling with uneven access, overburdened facilities and widening rural–urban disparities, the Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University has convened a three-day national conference to examine whether artificial intelligence can meaningfully bridge these gaps.

The conference, held in Varanasi, brings together clinicians, data scientists, policymakers and technologists to deliberate on the expanding role of AI in healthcare and medical education. From early disease detection using predictive algorithms to AI-assisted radiology and pathology, discussions centre on how digital systems could reduce diagnostic delays and improve clinical decision-making.

Equally significant is the focus on telemedicine. With specialist care still concentrated in metropolitan centres, participants explored AI-enabled platforms that could strengthen remote consultations, triage systems and patient monitoring in underserved districts.

Yet, beyond the optimism, critical questions loom, around data privacy, algorithmic bias and the risk of deepening inequities if digital infrastructure remains uneven. Speakers underscored that AI must complement, not replace, human judgement, and that robust ethical frameworks are essential before scaling innovations nationally.

As India accelerates its digital health ambitions, the summit signals both promise and caution in equal measure.