Can AI chatbots fix India's healthcare gap?
AI-enabled chatbots are being deployed in rural India to help bridge the gap in reproductive healthcare access for marginalized women. While these tools offer timely information, experts warn of challenges regarding digital literacy, information accuracy, and the potential for over-reliance on technology.
Why it matters
It highlights the intersection of digital innovation and public health infrastructure in developing nations, addressing critical maternal mortality issues.
“Calcium ki dawai morning mein or iron ki dawai dophar mein lene se problem ho sakti hai kya?” (Can taking a calcium tablet in the morning, and an iron tablet in the afternoon cause problems?) This query was received by an AI-enabled chatbot focused on reproductive health. While this might be resolved through a medical examination by a doctor or physician in under 30 seconds, a lot of women across India still do not have access to proper health facilities and specialised sexual and reproductive care. Though the country’s maternal mortality rate declined from 113 per 1,00,000 live births in 2014–16 to 88 by 2021–23, global estimates have consistently ranked India among countries with the highest share of maternal deaths in the world.
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