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 Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), today launched India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI)–driven community screening programme for Diabetic Retinopathy (DR). The initiative marks a major milestone in leveraging digital health technologies for early detection, timely intervention and real-time health intelligence to address one of India’s fastest-growing public health challenges.
Inauguration and Strategic Collaboration
The programme was inaugurated at Army Hospital (Research & Referral), New Delhi, by Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, Director General Armed Forces Medical Services, along with Prof. Radhika Tandon, Chief, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS. The initiative brings together the clinical reach of AFMS, academic leadership of AIIMS, and the digital innovation capabilities of MoHFW, creating a robust model for AI-enabled public health delivery.
MadhuNetrAI: AI at the Core of Community Screening
Anchored by MadhuNetrAI, a web-based AI platform developed by RPC, the programme enables automated screening, grading and triaging of retinal images captured through handheld fundus cameras. The system empowers trained Medical Officers, nursing staff and healthcare assistants to conduct community-level screenings efficiently.
Beyond diagnosis, the platform generates real-time data on disease prevalence and geographic distribution, supporting evidence-based planning, targeted interventions and policy formulation at scale.
Pilot Implementation Across Diverse Regions
As part of the pilot phase, AFMS will roll out the programme across seven strategically selected locations—Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Dharamshala, Gaya, Jorhat and Kochi—covering metropolitan, rural, hilly, coastal and remote regions. Personnel from each site will undergo intensive training at RPC, AIIMS, followed by large-scale community screening, ensuring quality and standardisation across geographies.
Integrated Referral and Continuity of Care
Patients identified with Diabetic Retinopathy will be referred for optimal diabetic management, while cases of vision-threatening DR will be directed to vitreo-retina specialists at designated District Hospitals. District Health Administrations will coordinate referral pathways and integrate DR management within existing non-communicable disease (NCD) programmes, ensuring continuity of care and timely treatment.
Knowledge Sharing and Scalability
A Compendium detailing the methodology and operational guidelines of the programme was released at the launch, providing a blueprint for replication and scale-up. The contribution of Brig S K Mishra, HOD & Consultant Ophthalmology, Army Hospital (R&R), in establishing the collaboration was acknowledged.
The initiative is envisaged as a scalable and replicable national model, demonstrating how AI-enabled solutions can be seamlessly integrated into public health systems through strong institutional partnerships.
Conclusion
The launch of India’s first AI-driven community screening programme for Diabetic Retinopathy represents a transformative step in preventive healthcare. By combining AI innovation, clinical excellence and system-wide integration, the AFMS–AIIMS–MoHFW collaboration sets a new benchmark for early detection, equitable access and data-driven public health action, with the potential to significantly reduce avoidable vision loss across the country.
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Source: PIB
