Amaravati, April 23: Andhra Pradesh's pioneering experiment of deploying artificial intelligence-based medical services through startups across 18 government hospitals has yielded encouraging results, with the State Health and Medical Department set to felicitate the best-performing startups with cash incentives and a work order worth one crore rupees, Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav announced on Thursday.

In what is being described as a first of its kind initiative in the country, 18 startups were simultaneously deployed across government hospitals in the State under the 'AP MedTech Innovation Challenge', a policy framework introduced by the Health Department. The Minister attributed the success of the initiative to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's vision for technology-driven governance.

Out of 297 applications received from startups, 18 were shortlisted through a three-tier evaluation process to operate across four categories — Diagnostic Tools, Portable Point of Care, Smart Monitoring and Wearables, and Remote Care Telemedicine. Over a 37-day period from February to end of March, the startups collectively served 12,677 patients under medical supervision.

Notable Outcomes

The results have been significant across multiple health parameters. One startup, after screening 7,433 patients, detected early-stage tuberculosis in 15 to 25 per cent of those examined. Another screened 1,200 patients and identified 34 requiring cataract surgery and 10 with glaucoma. A cervical cancer screening drive flagged suspected symptoms in 15 individuals. In Parvathipuram Manyam district, respiratory problems were detected in 30 newborns, while cardiac screening of 323 patients in Kurnool district revealed heart-related anomalies in 2.17 per cent of cases. Notably, the deployment of AI scribe technology in consultations with 2,100 patients resulted in a time saving of up to 70 per cent compared to conventional methods.

The startups demonstrated their innovations at hospitals including GGH Kakinada, Vijayawada, Anantapur, Tirupati Ruia, Visakha Victoria, and several primary and sub-health centres across the State.

Evaluation and Incentives

The performance of these startups will be assessed by the Committee for Applied Technologies in Health (CATH), which includes representatives from the Indian Institute of Science, ICMR, AIG Hospitals Hyderabad, and other leading institutions. Startups ranked first, second, and third across four categories — totalling 12 organisations — will receive cash incentives of Rs. 5 lakh, Rs. 3 lakh, and Rs. 2 lakh respectively, amounting to a total outlay of Rs. 40 lakh. The top-performing startup overall will additionally receive a work order valued at Rs. one crore. These measures are being taken in accordance with GO No. 33 issued by the IT Department in August 2025.

A special conference is to be convened shortly in Amaravati to disseminate the findings to all departments within the Health Ministry, with government medical officers from all districts, medical students, faculty, and representatives from national bodies including the National Health Authority, e-Health Startup India, India AI Mission, and IIT Kanpur, among others, expected to participate.

The government is also considering continuing the AP MedTech Innovation Challenge framework as a sustained policy to progressively expand AI-based services across government hospitals in the State.