Overview The Regional Open Digital Health Summit 2025 convened in New Delhi on November 19-20, 2025 , bringing together policymakers, technologists, public health leaders, and global experts from across the WHO South-East Asia Region (SEAR) . The summit focused on building resilient digital public infrastructure to transform health systems across the Global South. Key Developments Summit Objectives and Organization The summit was organized by the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) , Ministry of Electronics and IT , in collaboration with the National Health Authority (NHA) , Ministry of Health & Family Welfare , WHO-SEARO , and UNICEF . The three-day event aimed to accelerate the adoption of open, interoperable, and standards-based digital health ecosystems across the region. Inaugural Address Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava , Union Health Secretary , delivered the Inaugural Address, emphasizing that countries in the region face common challenges of access, affordability, workforce shortages, and infrastructural gaps. She highlighted the need for connected, citizen-centric health systems to bridge these gaps and achieve universal health coverage. India's Digital Health Architecture Smt. Srivastava underscored India’s journey in strengthening its digital health architecture through robust governance, open standards, and emerging technologies. Referring to the National Digital Health Blueprint (2019) and the National Health Policy (2017) , she noted that India’s digital health ecosystem is anchored in interoperability, privacy-by-design, and citizen-centricity, with responsible use of GenAI woven into its foundational architecture. Advancements in GenAI for Health The Union Health Secretary highlighted India’s advancements in using GenAI for health, stating that AI-enabled surveillance and diagnostics are helping identify diseases faster, predict outbreaks earlier, and support frontline health workers in remote areas. Examples include AI-driven disease surveillance under IDSP , risk prediction for TB , vulnerability mapping, and AI-based screening models for conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, oral cancer, and skin diseases. Clinical Decision Support System India’s health workforce is also benefiting from GenAI -powered decision-support tools. The Clinical Decision Support System integrated with e-Sanjeevani has supported more than two lakh doctors and improved access to quality care for over twenty crore patients . Similar tools are being promoted in the private sector through the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) . Commitment to Safe and Trustworthy AI Smt. Srivastava reiterated India’s commitment to safe and trustworthy AI, emphasizing that AI must be transparent, evidence-based, and never an opaque black box. She called for collective action, noting that Digital Public Infrastructure, open standards, and responsible GenAI are foundational pillars of resilient and future-ready health systems. Keynote Address by Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal , CEO, National Health Authority , stressed the need for responsible, contextual, and evidence-driven use of Generative AI. He observed that Generative AI is not a substitute for clinical expertise but a multiplier of human capability, with its effectiveness directly proportional to data quality and interoperability. Emerging Practices in Digital Health Interoperability Delivering the Keynote Address on “Emerging Practices in Digital Health Interoperability – GenAI for Global Health,” Dr. Barnwal highlighted the region’s disproportionate disease burden, health workforce shortages, and persistent structural challenges. He noted that open standards, open technologies, open architectures, and open content – the Full-STAC approach – provide the necessary foundation for responsible AI deployment. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) Dr. Barnwal outlined India’s experience under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and PM-JAY , stressing how unified health identifiers ( ABHA ), registries, consent frameworks, and digital workflows create the baseline infrastructure needed before advanced AI can be used at scale. He highlighted initiatives such as AI-enabled fraud detection under PM-JAY , clinical decision support integration, and Voice-to-Text services reducing provider burden. Privacy-Preserving Governance Frameworks Dr. Barnwal also stressed the need for privacy-preserving governance frameworks, noting that sensitive health data must remain protected. Where possible, model training must take place at the source without large-scale data centralization. Keynote by Mr. Kiran Gopal Vaska Mr. Kiran Gopal Vaska , Joint Secretary and Mission Director (ABDM), NHA delivered a keynote on “How Open Standards, Full-STAC and Digital Public Infrastructures Accelerate Digital Transformation.” He highlighted the importance of open protocols, modular architecture, and shared governance in building resilient health systems. He stated that open standards and the Full‑STAC approach are the backbone of interoperable health systems. UPSC Relevance This news article is relevant for the UPSC Civil Services Exam , particularly for GS Paper 2 (Health, Governance) and GS Paper 3 (Science and Technology, Infrastructure) . It highlights India's efforts in leveraging digital technologies and AI to improve healthcare access, efficiency, and outcomes. The focus on interoperability, digital public infrastructure, and responsible AI adoption aligns with the government's priorities and the evolving landscape of healthcare in India. Important Facts The Regional Open Digital Health Summit 2025 was held in New Delhi on November 19-20, 2025 . The summit was organized by NeGD , NHA , WHO-SEARO , and UNICEF . Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava emphasized India’s commitment to inclusive digital health systems. India's digital health ecosystem is anchored in interoperability and citizen-centricity. AI-enabled surveillance is helping identify diseases faster in India. The Clinical Decision Support System integrated with e-Sanjeevani has supported over two lakh doctors . Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal stressed the need for responsible use of Generative AI . Mr. Kiran Gopal Vaska highlighted the importance of open standards in building resilient health systems.