Pune: The Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), in collaboration with the Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences (RPC), AIIMS, and the eHealth AI Unit of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), has launched an AI-Driven Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Programme, marking India’s first Artificial Intelligence-based community screening initiative for diabetic eye disease.
The programme was formally launched on December 16, 2025, in New Delhi.
The AI-Driven Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Programme was inaugurated at Army Hospital (Research & Referral), New Delhi, by Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, Director General AFMS, along with Prof Radhika Tandon, Chief, RPC, AIIMS.
The initiative brings together the clinical network of AFMS, academic leadership of AIIMS, and digital health innovation from MoHFW to strengthen early detection and management of Diabetic Retinopathy.
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AI-Driven Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Programme Powered by MadhuNetrAI
At the core of the AI-Driven Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Programme is MadhuNetrAI, a web-based Artificial Intelligence platform developed by RPC, AIIMS.
The system enables automated screening, grading, and triaging of retinal images captured through handheld fundus cameras.
Trained Medical Officers, nursing staff, and healthcare assistants can conduct screenings at the community level, while the platform simultaneously generates real-time data on disease prevalence and geographic distribution to support evidence-based health planning.
As part of the pilot implementation, the AI-Driven Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Programme will be deployed by AFMS across seven locations – Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Dharamshala, Gaya, Jorhat, and Kochi – covering metropolitan, rural, hilly, coastal, and remote regions.
Personnel from each location will undergo intensive training at RPC, AIIMS, prior to conducting large-scale community screenings.
Patients diagnosed with Diabetic Retinopathy under the AI-Driven Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Programme will be referred for appropriate diabetic management, while vision-threatening cases will be directed to vitreo-retina specialists at designated district hospitals.
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District Health Administrations will coordinate referral pathways and integrate Diabetic Retinopathy care within existing non-communicable disease programmes to ensure continuity of care.
A compendium outlining the methodology and operational guidelines of the AI-Driven Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Programme was released at the launch event.
The contribution of Brig S K Mishra, HOD & Consultant Ophthalmology, Army Hospital (R&R), in facilitating the collaboration was acknowledged.
The initiative is envisioned as a scalable and replicable public health model demonstrating effective integration of AI-enabled solutions within national healthcare systems.
