A New Wave in Healthcare Services
Amritsar, July 6
The Directorate of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Punjab, conducted a state-level virtual training programme aimed at providing ASHA workers, ASHA facilitators, Community Health Officers (CHOs) and TB Champions with foundational knowledge and practical skills in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Its main objective is to improve quality and effectiveness of healthcare services.
The AI training modules are being delivered under ADiRA (AI for Digital Readiness & Advancement), a flagship capacity-building initiative of DataLeads. The programme focused on bridging the AI and digital literacy gap among doctors, paramedical staff, nurses, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, and community health workers.
The training programme was organized by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Punjab, in collaboration with the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP). Speaking about the initiative, Dr. Rajesh Bhaskar, State Programme Officer – NTEP and Director Health Services, Punjab, said:
The success of the initiative and the achievements of the AI training conducted under ADiRA were described as a reflection of the Punjab Health Department’s commitment to innovation in the healthcare sector and the dedicated efforts of teams across the state. It was stated that the training is equipping ASHA workers, community health officers (CHOs) and TB champions with the skills to use AI tools for better documentation, quicker access to health information, and improved patient support. The initiative was termed an important step towards the mission of tuberculosis elimination. Appreciation was also extended to DataLeads for its expertise and to the district-level teams for their enthusiastic participation. Confidence was expressed that such collaborative efforts would contribute to building a stronger and healthier Punjab.
So far, more than 10,000 ASHA workers, ASHA facilitators, Community Health Officers (CHOs), and TB Champions have been trained under the programme, achieving nearly 50 percent of the overall target of 20,000 participants. On the occasion, Dr. Navalpreet Singh, who served as a resource person for the programme, said that the ASHA workers participated in the virtual training with great interest and enthusiasm. He noted that the participants were highly eager to enhance their knowledge. During the training, they received detailed guidance on the use of AI tools, with many participants learning practical applications such as creating posters, drafting letters, and translating content using ChatGPT.
Health Department described the success of this training as a significant step towards integrating modern technology into frontline healthcare services. Officials expressed confidence that the initiative will play a vital role in the timely identification and treatment of tuberculosis cases, further strengthening Punjab’s efforts to achieve the goal of a TB-free state.
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