TLDR: Sisters Priyanjali and Shyanjali Datta, through their Aaroogya AI Foundation, are transforming women’s healthcare in India and East Africa by integrating AI with human intervention. Their MyHealthline app, available in local languages, empowers community health workers to conduct comprehensive health assessments and detect early-stage conditions like cancer, PCOS, and diabetes. The foundation aims to train 100,000 community healthcare workers and reach 500,000 women globally by 2030.
The Aaroogya AI Foundation, spearheaded by sisters Dr. Priyanjali and Shyanjali Datta, is making significant strides in revolutionizing women’s healthcare in India and East Africa. The non-profit organization, established in 2017, leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to provide accessible and early detection of various health conditions for underserved women, complemented by the crucial involvement of Community Healthcare Workers (CHWs).
The inspiration behind the Aaroogya AI Foundation stems from the sisters’ personal experiences with a healthcare system that often failed women. Shyanjali Datta, who was born with locomotor disabilities and underwent multiple surgeries, including an unnecessary one due to misdiagnosis, expressed her frustration with limited and inaccessible medical information. Priyanjali Datta, at 19, began researching AI applications in healthcare, recognizing its potential to address systemic issues. She noted, ‘What we see in generative AI today is maybe 5% of artificial intelligence, but AI has existed since 1958. I found artificial intelligence can solve these issues at its root.’
As CEO, Shyanjali Datta has been instrumental in the development and rollout of the MyHealthline app. This AI-powered health companion is designed to be user-friendly, available in local languages, and accessible even to women with limited literacy. The app employs a two-tier assessment process, empowering both the community health workers and the women they serve. Trained CHWs go door-to-door in underserved areas, introducing the app and providing basic health awareness. The initial user experience involves a comprehensive General Assessment (GA) that covers multiple health conditions.
The impact of the Aaroogya AI Foundation has been substantial. So far, the organization has screened over 135,000 women across India and East Africa. Through these screenings, they have successfully detected more than 1,759 early-stage cases of critical conditions such as cancer, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), and diabetes. Furthermore, the foundation has trained over 4,000 women health workers, transforming them into AI-powered agents of care.
Also Read:
- OpenAI Expands India Presence as Rural Farmers Embrace ChatGPT for Agricultural Advancement
- India’s Generative AI Landscape: Top Startups Driving Innovation in 2025
Looking ahead, the Datta sisters have set ambitious goals for their foundation. They aim to train 100,000 community healthcare workers by 2030 and expand their reach to 500,000 women across India, Africa, and other countries through their innovative agentic AI system. Priyanjali Datta acknowledges the emotional challenges of their work, stating, ‘I was questioning myself, how will I run the organisation where I’m being too empathetic? Sometimes being too emotional also leads to not making strategic decisions.’ Despite these challenges, their commitment to transforming women’s healthcare through AI remains unwavering.
