AP launches AI pilot for diabetic eye screening services at GGHs

Vijayawada: In a significant step towards integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into public healthcare, the state government has launched a pilot project to screen diabetic patients for retinopathy using AI technology in government hospitals at Guntur, Kurnool and Visakhapatnam.Under the project, retinal images captured through fundus cameras will be analysed by an AI-powered application that can identify the presence and severity of retinopathy. The system will also indicate whether a patient requires consultation with a specialist. Officials said the technology would help overcome the shortage of retinal specialists and expand screening services to more patients.“The AI-based system would help detect diabetic retinopathy at an early stage and facilitate timely treatment, thereby preventing vision loss among diabetic patients,” health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav said, announcing the initiative on Wednesday.At present, diabetic retinopathy screening is possible only in hospitals equipped with fundus cameras and retinal specialists. With AI-assisted diagnosis, trained optometrists can conduct screenings and identify patients requiring further treatment, ensuring early intervention.According to health department officials, nearly 20 per cent of diabetic patients develop eye-related complications such as reduced vision, optic nerve damage and retinal detachment. At Guntur GGH alone, around 3,000 diabetic patients visit every month, with 15 to 20 per cent diagnosed with retinopathy-related conditions.The pilot project commenced at GGH on Wednesday. Similar screening services will be launched at the Regional Hospital in Kurnool on June 13 and the Regional Eye Hospital in Visakhapatnam on June 16. The programme will run for three months, during which the government aims to screen around 9,000 diabetic patients across the three centres.The AI solution, named “Madhunetra”, was developed by the Wadhwani Foundation in collaboration with AIIMS Delhi and AIIMS Rishikesh under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The technology has been trained using retinal data from nearly 13,000 patients and has already been deployed in several institutions, including AIIMS Bibinagar and AIIMS Raipur.Officials said AI-based diabetic retinopathy screening is currently being implemented in 45 government medical colleges across multiple states. Based on the outcome of the Andhra Pradesh pilot project, the government will consider expanding the technology to more hospitals across the state.