Budget 2020 aims to eradicate tuberculosis by 2025 using AI and ML to empower Aayushman Bharat

• India’s Union Budget 2020 proposes using machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) for the Aayushman Bharat Scheme.
  
• Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman claims that such solutions will help eradicate tuberculosis in India by 2025.
  
• India currently accounts for a quarter of tuberculosis cases worldwide.
  

India’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman hopes to eradicate cases of tuberculosis in India by 2025 by using machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to empower the government’s Aayushman Bharat Scheme.

“Using machine learning and artificial intelligence in the Aayushman Bharat Scheme, health authorities and the medical fraternity can target diseases with an appropriately designed preventive regime. TB haare ga, desh jeete ga. This campaign has been launched. I propose to strengthen this campaign to realise our commitment to end Tuberculosis by 2025,” Sitharaman said during her budget speech.

India currently accounts for a quarter of tuberculosis cases worldwide, according to the National Health Portal.

The estimated incidence of tuberculosis in India is around 27 lakh, according to the Central TB Division. Most of the cases affect individuals between the ages of 15-69 years with two-thirds of them being male.HIV co-infection among TB victims is around 3.4% — accounts for nearly 50,000 cases.

The report points out that eradicating TB are beyond the scope of the health sector along. It proposes a multi-sectoral approach to address the crisis. The Department of Post and the Department of Financial Services is already supporting the expansion of TB services, but it’s not nearly enough.

The Central TB Division stressed the need for local accountability and ownership, which means more involvement by the civil society, community and Panchayati Raj institutions.

Using ML and AI boost battling tuberculosis in India will help streamline the process. Sitharaman hopes that it will have a positive impact and help India achieve its target to be tuberculosis free by 2025.

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