India's Ayush 'innovations' featured in WHO's brief on AI in traditional medicine

Time of India

3 days ago

The
WHO
has acknowledged India's efforts in integrating
Artificial Intelligence
(AI) with
traditional medicine
systems, particularly
Ayush
systems, the Centre said on Saturday.
The World Health Organization praised the country's efforts in a technical brief - Mapping the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine.
The release follows India's proposal on the subject, leading to the development of WHO's first-ever roadmap for using AI in traditional medicine, the Ayush ministry said in a statement.
India's efforts to harness the potential of AI to advance its Ayush systems reflect Prime Minister
Narendra Modi
's vision of "AI for All," it said.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav said India's AI initiatives, mentioned in WHO's brief, reflect the commitment of Indian scientists to advancing traditional medicine through cutting-edge technology.
"By integrating AI with Ayush systems, and through pioneering digital platforms such as the SAHI portal, NAMASTE portal, and the Ayush Research Portal, India is not only safeguarding its centuries-old medical wisdom but also leading the way in shaping a future of personalised, evidence-based, and globally accessible
healthcare
," he said.
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, said the WHO document highlights India's AI-driven innovations, such as "Prakriti-based machine learning models" to the "groundbreaking Ayurgenomics project that brings together
Ayurveda
knowledge and modern genomics."
At the core of the supposed transformation is the Ayush Grid, a
digital health
platform launched in 2018, which serves as the foundation for SAHI, NAMASTE, and Ayush Research portals, he said.
"Together, these AI-enabled platforms are not only preserving and validating India's traditional knowledge systems of medicine but are also advancing their global integration within evidence-based, digital healthcare frameworks," Kotecha said.
The WHO document showcases a range of AI-driven applications in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Sowa Rigpa, and homoeopathy, including diagnosis support systems that integrate traditional methods like pulse reading, tongue examination, and Prakriti assessment with machine learning algorithms and deep neural networks, Ayush said.
The brief also mentions Ayurgenomics, which Ayush claims is a scientific breakthrough combination of genomics and ayurvedic principles.
The initiative aims to identify disease markers and personalise health recommendations using AI-based analysis of ayurvedic constitution types, the statement said.
The document also highlights India's efforts in decoding the genomic and molecular basis of herbal formulations for repurposing them in modern disease conditions.
India's
Traditional Knowledge Digital Library
(TKDL) has been praised as a global model for the preservation and responsible use of indigenous medical heritage, the statement said.
AI-powered tools are being used for cataloguing and semantic analysis of ancient texts, it said.
Another aspect recognised by the WHO is the use of AI for
drug action pathway
identification, comparative studies across systems like Ayurveda, TCM, and Unani, and the development of artificial chemical sensors to assess traditional parameters such as Rasa, Guna, and Virya, Ayush said.