India launches AI-based community screening program for diabetic retinopathy

December 17, 2025

New Delhi: To curb the rising incidence of vision loss due to diabetes, India has launched the country’s first artificial intelligence (AI)-based community screening program for diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Emphasis on early detection of diabetic eye disease

This initiative has been launched by the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) in collaboration with the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmology (RPC), AIIMS, and the e-Health AI Unit of the Ministry of Health. According to the Ministry of Defence, this program is a significant step towards strengthening the early detection of diabetic eye disease and building a real-time national health intelligence framework.

The screening will use the web-based AI tool *MadhunetraAI* developed by RPC. Trained doctors, nursing staff, and health workers will capture retinal images using handheld fundus cameras for automated screening, grading, and triaging.

Implemented in seven locations in the pilot phase

Under the pilot phase, AFMS will implement this initiative in Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Dharamshala, Gaya, Jorhat, and Kochi, covering metropolitan, rural, hilly, coastal, and remote areas. Health workers at these centers will first receive specialized training at RPC, AIIMS, followed by large-scale community screening.

The system will also provide real-time data on the prevalence and geographic distribution of the disease, which will help inform policy decisions and planning.

Referral Mechanism and National Impact

Patients with diabetic retinopathy will be referred for appropriate diabetes management, while cases at risk of severe vision loss will be referred to vitreo-retinal specialists at district hospitals. The district health administration will coordinate the referral process and integrate it with existing non-communicable disease programs.

According to the National Survey on Blindness and Visually Impaired 2019, approximately 12 percent of people over the age of 50 have diabetes, and approximately 17 percent of these suffer from diabetic retinopathy. Alarmingly, only about 10 percent of diabetics have ever had an eye exam.

The Ministry of Defence stated that this initiative is designed as a scalable and replicable model, demonstrating the effective integration of AI-based solutions into the public health system.