PGIMER marks 63 years with vision for AI-driven healthcare

Artificial Intelligence will fundamentally transform healthcare by augmenting the capabilities of doctors, enabling greater knowledge, efficiency and reach, Prof Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi, Vice-Chancellor, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi said on Monday.

Addressing the 63rd Institute Foundation Day celebrations of PGIMER, Chandigarh as chief guest, Chaturvedi described Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research as a “true national asset” and lauded its pioneering contributions to healthcare, education, research and innovation.

Delivering the Foundation Day address on “AI in Healthcare”, Prof Chaturvedi described PGIMER as a “true national asset” and lauded its pioneering contributions to healthcare, education, research and innovation.

“PGIMER Chandigarh is, without doubt, a true national asset’”not limited to one region, but making a significant contribution to healthcare, education, research and innovation across the country. I congratulate each and every member of the PGIMER family for this remarkable journey and for keeping the institution at the forefront of Indian healthcare,” he said.

Emphasising that AI should be viewed as an enabler rather than a replacement for medical professionals, Chaturvedi said, “The most successful healthcare deployments today are not examples of AI replacing doctors. They are examples of AI helping doctors perform at their best.”

Vice Chancellor of the BHU noted that AI had moved beyond being a technological novelty and was making deep inroads into healthcare, research and decision-making.

“AI is no more something like a fashionable toy or something that is a status symbol. It has made very deep inroads in the market, and naturally, we cannot be just watching it from a distance,” he observed.

Highlighting its potential to process vast volumes of medical information, he said AI could assist doctors in extracting information from clinical records, pathology reports and scientific literature.

“The assistant does not replace expertise, but it dramatically expands the amount of knowledge a physician can effectively utilise,” he said.

On medical research, Prof Chaturvedi observed, “The real transformation is that researchers can now ask questions that were previously too expensive or time-consuming to investigate.”

Chaturvedi also cautioned against adopting AI without considering Indian healthcare realities. AI systems trained predominantly on Western datasets may not adequately reflect Indian disease patterns, patient populations and clinical practices.

He stressed the need for India to move from being merely a consumer of healthcare AI to becoming a creator of solutions rooted in Indian realities.

Chaturvedi highlighted AI’s potential in remote healthcare, radiology, hospital management and evidence-based decision-making, while noting that complex physical tasks such as surgery remain a frontier for further development.

He also stressed that medical education would increasingly focus on clinical judgement, evidence evaluation, critical thinking and patient communication rather than memorisation alone.

Chaturvedi said, “The first generation of AI helped humans find information. The next generation is helping humans make decisions. The generation after that will help humans take action.”

The Foundation Day celebrations were also attended by Dr Alka Rao, Director, IMTECH Chandigarh, Prof Yogesh Chawla, former Director, PGIMER, Sanjay Jain, Dean (Academics), former and present Deans, Heads of Departments, senior faculty, resident doctors, nursing officers and members of the PGIMER fraternity.

Earlier, Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER, highlighted the Institute’s remarkable expansion, growing patient capacity, affordable healthcare initiatives and declining waiting lists.

Referring to the recent inauguration of two major centres by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lal said, “The prime minister inaugurated two major centres on July 17, which was a boost in our arm. The Advanced Mother & Child Centre and the Advanced Neuroscience Centre directly gave us 800 beds. From 2,200 beds, we have 3,000 beds now for taking care of our patients.”

He credited the Institute’s dedicated workforce for its continued progress and highlighted PGIMER’s commitment to strengthening infrastructure, diagnostic services, manpower and collaborations with emerging healthcare institutions.

Highlighting PGIMER’s commitment to making advanced healthcare affordable, Lal spoke about the benefits reaching patients through Ayushman Bharat and the availability of affordable generic medicines through Amrit Pharmacy outlets.

He noted that the savings generated for patients run into crores of rupees, particularly in the treatment of serious and prolonged illnesses.

Pointing to improving service delivery despite increasing patient footfall, Lal said, “You must have seen, our waiting list is decreasing day by day. The patient rush is increasing. The waiting list is decreasing. So, PGI is moving in the right direction.” On institutional collaboration, particularly with BHU, he assured continued support, saying, “We promise you all help of any kind for BHU.

You just name it and we will do it. We are very happy to help and handhold centres.”