All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Bhopal)

Biofourmis founder launches health LMM startup Over a year after leaving biotechnology unicorn Biofourmis, ex-CEO and founder Kuldeep Singh Rajput recently announced that he set up a new health tech company focused on generative AI. In a LinkedIn post, he shared that his newly founded startup, OutcomesAI, has partnered with SingHealth to deploy its large multi-modal model (LMM) called Glia, which allows organisations to build clinician companion AI. National Heart Centre Singapore and National Cancer Centre Singapore were identified as the first sites of the LMM integration. JLK bags 510(k) for CT perfusion AI South Korean medical AI company JLK has obtained another regulatory approval in the United States for one of its stroke AI offerings. The company received its third 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration for JLK-CTP, which uses AI to automatically identify the centre of cerebral infarction and the area of cerebral hypoperfusion in brain CT perfusion images. JLK received its first 510(k) in June for its MRI-based prostate analysis AI software, then a second one for another stroke AI solution that specifically detects large vessel occlusion in brain CT scans. Korea OKs Heuron's Parkinson's disease AI Fellow Korean medical imaging AI company, Heuron, also recently received regulatory approval from the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. According to a press statement, its AI-powered software HeuronNM identifies and quantifies neuromelanin – a key biomarker of Parkinson's disease – in brain 3D MRI images. Meanwhile, Heuron is currently working to secure FDA approvals in Thailand for its range of AI solutions following its expansion there in August. Wadhwani AI backs AIIMS Indian non-profit Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence (Wadhwani AI) has been tapped to support the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi in its healthcare AI integration projects. AIIMS was recently designated as one of India's "AI centres of excellence" under the government's Make AI in India, Make AI Work for India initiative, in which healthcare is one of the priority areas. As a partner, Wadhwani AI will be deploying its AI solutions that support the diagnosis of chest conditions and diabetic retinopathy. The Indian government has pledged to invest over $110 million in supporting the AI COEs over the next four years. NUS Medicine establishes digital health accelerator The Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine of the National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) has recently launched an accelerator programme for digital health startups, including those developing AI solutions in mental health and hospital administration. A collaboration with 22Health Ventures, the Digital Accelerator Programme of the NUS Medicine Digital Advanced Technology Accelerator aims to support startups from conception through global expansion. The cohort includes 2Strands, which develops blood-based cancer recurrence monitoring tests; Health BETA, which offers genetic tests and digital therapeutics for personalised health monitoring; HealthBridge AI, which is currently testing its clinical product for streamlining administrative tasks; Marymount Lab, which provides patient engagement software for preventive health; and TenangAI, which offers an AI-driven solution to support youth mental health.

India's position as the world's third largest producer and core supplier of generic drugs plays a pivotal role in the global pharmaceutical sector and brings significant economic benefits to global healthcare systems, particularly in the United States. At the Indian Leaders' Summit 2024, Union Health Minister Punya Salila Srivastava made it clear that India's influence in the global pharmaceutical industry is far-reaching and not only in terms of numbers - India has the highest number of US FDA-approved pharmaceutical plants, accounting for 25% of the global total. There are also economic benefits - medicines made in India saved the US healthcare system a whopping $219 billion in 2022, and a cumulative $1.3 trillion between 2013 and 2022. At the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, the Secretary of the Alliance further highlighted India's outstanding contribution in vaccine production, noting that India produces nearly half of the world's vaccines, especially out of the 8 billion doses produced globally last year, India alone contributed 4 billion doses, hence its reputation as the "pharmacy of the world". To further improve the standard of care, India has implemented medical education reforms and replaced outdated regulations with the National Medical Boards Act, which has facilitated an increase in the number of medical and nursing colleges and effectively alleviated the shortage of health professionals. India's health minister said the country is committed to developing a health workforce that can meet domestic needs as well as contribute to global health. From an economic perspective, India's out-of-pocket costs in the health sector as a percentage of total health expenditure have declined by 25% from 2013-14 to 2021-22, demonstrating the continued optimization of the health system and the reduction of the burden on the people. On health cooperation, there is a strong partnership between India and the United States, especially in the areas of epidemic preparedness, disease surveillance and antimicrobial resistance. Through cooperation between the National Centers for Disease Control (NCDC) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), such as programs such as the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), the two countries have trained more than 200 epidemic Intelligence Service officers, and more than 50 officers are undergoing training. India and the US have also launched the Bio-5 Alliance Strategic Framework to optimize the biopharmaceutical supply chain. In 2023, the two countries joined forces to advance cancer research, launching the US-India Cancer Moonshot Dialogue, focusing on biomedical cooperation, especially cervical cancer research. The initiative has not only partnered with Indian institutions such as AIIMS and Tata Memorial Hospital, but has also expanded into the Four Cancers Moonshot Initiative and allocated $7.5 million for cancer diagnosis in the Indo-Pacific region. India has also committed to provide 40 million doses of vaccines to support cancer prevention efforts under GAVI and Quad programmes. Initiatives such as the India-US Health Dialogue will continue to make more progress in disease surveillance and pandemic preparedness. The Indian Health minister expressed optimism that the two countries will enhance global health security by advancing research, technology transfer and capacity building through public-private partnerships and joint vaccine programmes.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi is looking to set up an internal communications system to improve its emergency response. A news report noted from a recently published memorandum issued by AIIMS Delhi Director M Srinivas that the campus is on the lookout for a locally-developed cloud-hosted messaging system. The public medical university wants a tailor-made solution from experienced government organisations, public sector undertakings or autonomous bodies/organisations under the Indian government with experience in providing and maintaining message communication systems for large organisations. Specifically, it needs the system to be application-based and has features similar to popular instant messaging platforms – it must allow users to send and receive instant messages about patient care activities, official communications, and the like. The app, which should run on both iOS and Android devices, must be "user-friendly, accessible, and able to accommodate a large number of users at any given time." The system must also allow authorised users to send and receive bulk messages in real time. Other specifications that AIIMS Delhi would like to have in its internal communications system are: Scalable Capable of restricting personal use of mobile phones during work hours Allow the sending of text and various kinds of files Must be stored on the Indian Server as per government regulation Able to broadcast messages to all users or to a selected category of users/employees Allow the creation of closed user groups for the sharing of confidential patient care information to select users/employees Safe from cybersecurity threats Can host a digital copy of the institute's directory that is accessible to all employees Can integrate with existing systems Enable integration with duty rosters of various cadres of employees with the information accessible to select users And if possible, the campus wants the system to also integrate with a proposed indoor navigation system, enabling geotagging. WHY IT MATTERS AIIMS Delhi, which caters to more than 25,000 patients and visitors daily, is currently sending official communications via email, e-Office, and personally through phone calls. It ultimately aims to improve responsiveness, collaboration, and coordination of their staff at times of mass casualties or disaster situations. "An efficient, safe and robust messaging system for quick communication will help in improving responsiveness, collaboration, and coordination among various stakeholders, especially during emergency situations," the news report quoted the director's memorandum as saying. THE LARGER TREND AIIMS Delhi continues to embark on its digital transformation. It is now fully implementing the e-hospital HMIS developed by the National Informatics Centre and an all-digital payments facility this month. It is also in search of a provider to put up 5G mobile connection across its campus that will enable the deployment of an integrated medical university information system.