TLDR: India’s AI Mission, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), has initiated a global call for abstracts on impactful and scalable Artificial Intelligence solutions for healthcare systems. This initiative aims to compile a ‘Casebook on AI Health Use Cases Across the Global South,’ set to launch at the India-AI Impact Summit 2026. The effort underscores a commitment to ethical AI adoption and digital transformation in healthcare, particularly in developing nations.
New Delhi, India – The IndiaAI Mission, an initiative under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO) to announce a significant global call for abstracts. This joint effort seeks to identify and highlight impactful and scalable applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within healthcare systems, with a particular emphasis on innovations originating from the Global South. The overarching goal is to foster responsible AI adoption and accelerate digital transformation in healthcare worldwide.
The core of this initiative is the development of a ‘Casebook on AI Health Use Cases Across the Global South.’ This comprehensive reference is designed to serve policymakers, innovators, and researchers, providing them with a resource to replicate and scale successfully implemented AI solutions in developing economies. The casebook is slated for an official launch at the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled to take place in New Delhi in February.
Researchers, innovators, and institutions from across the Global South were invited to submit abstracts, limited to 250 words, detailing successful, implementable, and scalable AI use cases in health. The deadline for these abstract submissions was October 31, 2025. Following a rigorous evaluation based on relevance, innovation, quality, and alignment with the casebook’s objectives, selected contributors will be invited to submit full chapters, ranging from 2,500 to 3,000 words, by December 15. These chapters are expected to elaborate on the AI solution, deployment strategies, achieved impact, ethical considerations, and critical lessons learned. Outstanding entries will not only be published in the casebook but also gain an opportunity to be showcased at the India-AI Impact Summit 2026.
This collaboration positions India as a key thought leader in shaping ethical and inclusive AI practices, especially for healthcare in developing nations. India recently became a pioneer member of the HealthAI Global Regulatory Network (GRN), further solidifying its commitment to the safe and ethical deployment of AI in healthcare. This partnership with HealthAI, the global agency for responsible AI in health, will focus on sharing safety standards, clinical monitoring methods, and regulatory insights to promote trustworthy AI adoption globally.
Officials from MeitY emphasized that by capturing real-world experiences and lessons, the casebook aims to strengthen responsible AI adoption and accelerate digital transformation in healthcare systems. The initiative aligns with India’s broader mission to advance safe and reliable AI development, including a joint roadmap with France for developing a secure AI ecosystem. Prime Minister Modi has previously highlighted the need for open-source systems that enhance trust and transparency, quality data sets free from biases, and people-centric applications, while also addressing concerns related to cybersecurity, disinformation, and deepfakes. India anticipates leveraging AI and blockchain technology as crucial catalysts to achieve its ambitious $5 trillion economy target by 2027-2028.
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While AI presents transformative potential for healthcare—a global market valued at approximately $26.57 billion in 2024 and projected to reach $187.69 billion by 2030—challenges remain. These include the risk of AI models exacerbating existing healthcare inequalities through biased training data, the nascent stage of AI regulation globally, and a shortage of specialized talent and digital infrastructure in many facilities. The initiative stresses the importance of ‘safety by design’ and prioritizing ethical AI development, incorporating principles like fairness, accountability, and transparency.
