WEF launches India Digital Health Activator to drive AI, interoperability in healthcare

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has launched the India Digital Health Activator, a new initiative to accelerate digital health adoption, interoperability, and innovation through public-private collaboration. Announced on February 21 at THIT 2025, the program will establish regional hubs to test and scale digital health solutions, aligning with the government’s digital healthcare efforts.

The announcement was made in the presence of Shyam Bishen, Head, Centre for Health and Healthcare, WEF; Shobana Kamineni, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals; Sri Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Special Chief Secretary, ITE&C, Government of Telangana; and L.S. Changsan, CEO, National Health Authority (NHA), Government of India.

The India Digital Health Activator will focus on two key areas in its first year:  

Health Data Exchange & Family Health ID Adoption: Expanding secure data-sharing frameworks and driving demand for digital health.  
End-to-End Digital Health Ecosystem: Integrating interoperability, telemedicine, and AI-driven diagnostics into a seamless healthcare model.  

"The India Digital Health Activator is designed to complement the government’s ongoing efforts in digital health by testing innovations through hubs and generating critical insights that will be shared with all stakeholders, including policymakers," said Shyam Bishen. "By fostering public-private collaboration, we aim to create scalable solutions that can accelerate India's digital health transformation."

The initiative’s launch featured a panel discussion, "Public-Private Synergies for Viksit Bharat 2047: Driving the Future of Digital Health," where leaders discussed strategies to enhance digital health adoption.  

Shobana Kamineni highlighted the need for collaboration, stating, "Apollo has been at the forefront of digital health adoption in India, and we strongly support WEF’s initiative to bring together key stakeholders. The Activator will play a crucial role in bridging gaps in digital health infrastructure and ensuring better healthcare access for all."

The India Digital Health Activator will engage stakeholders through workshops, pilot projects, and multi-sectoral collaborations to drive long-term impact.