WHO SEARO and The George Institute for Global Health, India collaborate on digital health and AI for primary care and non-communicable diseases

The World Health Organization and The George Institute for Global Health, India have signed a two-year Project Collaboration Agreement to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the WHO South-East Asia Region, where NCDs account for over half of all deaths, many occurring before the age of 70. Recognising that primary healthcare systems remain ill-equipped with health workers concentrated in urban centres and conditions often undetected or poorly managed at the community level, the collaboration focuses on strengthening primary care through digital health and AI interventions for NCD prevention and management.

The collaboration aims to advance implementation science, generate real-world evidence on effectiveness and scalability, and develop guidance, frameworks, and tools for AI-powered digital health programs aligned with WHO digital health strategies. It will also support capacity building, knowledge exchange, and collaboration with ministries of health and global partners, while promoting ethical AI governance, data privacy, and interoperability.