Hyderabad: The Telangana government is launching a pilot project to use artificial intelligence (AI) for cancer screening in public healthcare facilities, starting with three districts. The move comes as part of efforts to improve early detection, particularly for oral, breast, and cervical cancers, which account for a large share of India’s cancer burden.
Screening to begin in selected districts
The pilot will test AI software that can analyse high-resolution medical scans and identify abnormal patterns. Once flagged, the results will be sent to oncologists and specialist doctors for review. Officials believe this approach could improve diagnosis timelines, especially in areas that lack trained radiologists.
The project’s Software development is underway at MNJ Cancer Institute in Hyderabad. If the pilot proves effective, the state plans to extend the technology to all government medical colleges.
Focus on access and infrastructure
The health department is also considering setting up day care centres for cancer screening in each district, depending on the outcome of the pilot phase. To support the new system, medical staff will be trained in handling AI-driven diagnostic tools.
For patients who require further treatment, referrals will be made to MNJ Cancer Hospital and NIMS. To bring chemotherapy services closer to rural populations, the government is also planning to start treatment facilities in Siddipet, Sircilla, and Adilabad.
Addressing shortage of radiologists
The initiative is partly a response to the shortage of radiologists in public hospitals. Health officials say AI tools could help bridge this gap by assisting in quicker and more consistent screening.
Possible central support
Discussions are ongoing about a dedicated budget from the central government to support the project. While still in the pilot stage, Telangana’s initiative reflects a broader trend of integrating AI into healthcare delivery, especially in low-resource settings.
The pilot is expected to inform the feasibility of a larger rollout and help assess whether AI can become a reliable tool within the public healthcare system, not just for efficiency but also for expanding access to timely cancer care.
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