In December 2025, the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), in collaboration with the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences (RPC) at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and the eHealth AI Unit of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), launched India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI)–driven community screening programme for Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) at Army Hospital (Research & Referral), New Delhi, Delhi.
- The initiative was inaugurated by Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, Director General (DG) of the AFMS, along with Professor Radhika Tandon, Chief of RPC, AIIMS.
- What? AI-based community screening for Diabetic Retinopathy
- Launched by: AFMS, RPC–AIIMS, MoHFW (eHealth AI Unit)
- Inaugurated By: urgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin & Prof. Radhika Tandon
- Pilot Locations: 7 locations including Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Dharamshala, Gaya, Jorhat, Kochi
- Technology Platform: MadhuNetrAI (AIIMS-developed AI tool)
About Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Programme:
Objective: Use AI for early, large-scale detection of diabetic retinopathy in underserved areas and generate real-time disease data to support national health planning.
Technology: Powered by MadhuNetrAI, a web-based AI tool by RPC, AIIMS, that automatically analyses retinal images from handheld fundus cameras for screening, grading, and triaging.
Empowerment: Validated on 3,000–4,000 retinal images with over 95% accuracy, enabling medical staff to perform community-level screenings without on-site ophthalmologists.
Pilot Phase: Implemented across seven strategically selected sites Pune (Maharashtra), Mumbai (Maharashtra), Bengaluru (Karnataka), Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh, HP), Gaya (Bihar), Jorhat (Assam), and Kochi (Kerala) representing metropolitan, rural, hilly, coastal, and remote regions.
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