Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda has said that the expansion of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) network must be guided by the integration of artificial intelligence in diagnostics and a faster recruitment process to strengthen healthcare delivery across India.
Addressing officials and healthcare administrators, Nadda stressed that simply increasing infrastructure is not enough. He highlighted the need to modernise systems alongside expansion, particularly by embedding AI-driven diagnostic tools in new and existing AIIMS facilities. According to him, artificial intelligence can significantly improve early disease detection, reduce diagnostic errors, and help doctors manage heavy patient loads more efficiently.
He pointed out that AI-based systems can assist in analysing medical imaging, pathology reports, and large volumes of patient data, allowing specialists to focus more on treatment decisions and complex cases. By accelerating diagnosis and improving accuracy, such technologies could reduce waiting times and improve patient outcomes, especially in high-demand public hospitals.
Alongside technological upgrades, Nadda underscored the urgency of faster hiring processes. Several AIIMS institutions across the country have faced delays in filling faculty, nursing, and technical staff positions. He said timely recruitment is critical to ensure that newly built infrastructure becomes fully operational without prolonged staff shortages.
The minister called for streamlined procedures to fill vacancies, suggesting that digital platforms and transparent selection mechanisms could help speed up appointments while maintaining quality standards. Strengthening human resources, he noted, is just as important as investing in buildings and equipment.
The AIIMS expansion is part of the government’s broader plan to improve tertiary healthcare access beyond major metropolitan cities. By combining advanced technology with adequate staffing, officials aim to build a more responsive, efficient, and future-ready public healthcare system.
Nadda reiterated that integrating AI in diagnostics and accelerating recruitment would be central pillars in shaping the next phase of AIIMS growth, ensuring that the institutions remain centres of excellence while meeting rising healthcare demands nationwide.