AI-powered platform set for rollout to boost mass health screening – The Navhind Times
AffEx, an innovation of the The Anjani Mashelkar Foundation (AMF), founded by eminent Goan and one of India's leading scientist, Padma Vibhushan Dr Raghunath A Mashelkar, makes healthcare affordable to all. AffEx will soon be available in Goa. Team B&C writes on AffEx usefulness to society at large
India has made notable progress in public health, yet access to timely diagnosis and preventive care remains uneven. Conditions like anaemia and chronic diseases often go undetected, especially in underserved communities. Alongside long-term investments in infrastructure, there is a need for scalable, cost-effective screening models that work within existing systems.
AffEx, developed by the Anjani Mashelkar Foundation (AMF) makes quality healthcare accessible to the poor and underprivileged. AffEx is a deep-tech, AI-enabled, non-invasive, point-of-care screening system that can assess over 20 health parameters in under 10 minutes, at a cost of Rs 100 per person.
Its strength lies in integration- combining solutions for haemoglobin, cardiac and lung health, metabolic indicators, and more into a single, digital, real-time system. Designed for use by minimally trained frontline workers like ASHAs, it requires no manual data entry and provides real-time dashboards for monitoring and decision-making.
More than a device, AffEx represents a programmatic model for transforming screening from a one-time activity into a continuous, data-driven health system with tracking at individual and population levels.
The Foundation is partnering with the directorate of health services, Goa, to enable large-scale screening using the AffEx platform. Discussions are underway to implement mass- scale, technology-enabled screening across the state.
From innovation to impact: Deployments at scale
AffEx is no longer a concept or prototype, says Anjani Mashelkar Foundation, president Sushil Borde. It has already screened thousands of individuals and is being implemented across several large-scale programmes in India, demonstrating its ability to move beyond pilots into real-world healthcare systems. AffEx has screened over 35,000 individuals across 180 locations in India in just the last six months.
Among notable programs, AffEx has partnered with Tata Power, where community screenings across states are reaching large populations, supported by real-time monitoring systems that demonstrate the power of early detection.
It was within such a programme that the asymptomatic TB case in Karnataka was identified-highlighting the value of early detection in community settings. In Pune, a school-based programme with Swaroopwardhinee has screened over 15,000 students in semi-urban and rural schools.
The Pune programme revealed a 60 per cent prevalence of mild to severe anaemia and reinforced the need for routine screening. The model is also being extended to household-level screening, enabling family-based health monitoring.
AffEx is also being integrated into the 'Mobile 1000' initiative of the Wockhardt Foundation, which operates mobile medical units across multiple states. By equipping the units with comprehensive screening capabilities, preventive healthcare is being extended deeper into remote and underserved geographies.
Another significant initiative is the Integrated Village Development Programme in Maharashtra, which promotes holistic development of selected Gram Panchayats with a strong focus on health. Implemented jointly by government authorities, Tata Motors (CSR) and AffEx Healthcare, the programme has already trained hundreds of frontline healthcare workers. It highlights the role of large-scale screening, public-private partnerships, and technology integration in strengthening primary healthcare.
Expansion of the programme is planned in Madhya Pradesh. AffEx is also in advanced discussions with the World Health Organization to support screening programmes in Chhattisgarh and Assam under the global push for Universal Health Coverage, a development expected to further strengthen the credibility and scale of the model.
The deployments highlight a clear shift, from reactive treatment to proactive screening, and from doctor dependent care to frontline-enabled, technology-driven systems.
India does not lack innovation but the challenge has often been translating innovation into impact at scale. AffEx demonstrates how high-technology, when combined with affordability, programmatic design, and on-ground implementation, can enable that transition — bringing healthcare closer to people and making access more equitable.
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