India’s healthcare challenge is not a problem of capacity. It is one of access and distribution. Even as our national average doctor-to-population ratio appears to be ‘adequate’, there is a severe urban-rural divide when it comes to access to quality healthcare. According to a Rural Health Statistics report, there is a 80 per cent shortfall of specialist doctors like surgeons, pediatricians, physicians and gynaecologists in rural Community Health Centres (CHCs). The report for 2022-23 shows that only 4,413 specialist doctors, against the 21,964 needed in rural CHCs for March 2023, were available. As about 70 per cent of India’s population resides in rural areas, the problem gains even more seriousness as this systemic imbalance leaves lakhs of rural Indians without timely care.

As India makes advancements in HealthTech, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is enabling high-quality health and sanitation solutions to be delivered affordably and instantly to underserved communities by embedding diagnostic intelligence and streamlining operations. This focus on leveraging technology to democratise access to healthcare was the theme at the recently-held Mint All About AI Tech4Good Awards, sponsored by Salesforce, in the Best Use of AI in Health & Sanitation category. Remidio Innovative Solutions secured the Gold award for its AI-powered, offline retinal screening device, while Singapore Smart Tech earned the Silver for its work in optimising the orthodontic supply chain and product development.

Watch the highlights from the Awards Summit below,