Health Dept to make use of AI to detect TB

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 30

With an aim to reduce the burden of tuberculosis (TB), the state health department will be using artificial intelligence-based tools for timely detection and treatment of TB cases. The pilot project will be launched in seven districts of the state in government healthcare institutions.

These districts include Ludhiana, Amritsar, Bathinda, Jalandhar, Mansa, Ropar and Tarn Taran. Preference is being given to those centres where there is a significant footfall of patients but radiologists and pulmonologists are scarce.

District TB Officer Dr Ashish Chawla said the project will be launched at the Khanna Civil Hospital where there is neither a radiologist nor a pulmonologist and footfall is also high.

“Qure.ai is an artificial intelligence-based chest X-ray interpretation tool that can detect findings suggestive of TB and aids TB screening. This software can prove beneficial for diagnosing pulmonary pathologies, including TB,” he said.

There is a shortage of radiologists in the district. There are only two government radiologists here, one at the Ludhiana Civil Hospital and the other at Samrala Civil Hospital. The project can thus prove extremely beneficial here.

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