Kerala Govt Launches Nayanamritham 2.0, India’s First AI-Assisted Eye Disease Screening Program

By integrating AI into routine screenings, the program enhances efficiency and accuracy while improving early detection rates.

The Government of Kerala, in collaboration with health-tech company Remidio, has launched Nayanamritham 2.0, the country’s first government-led AI-assisted eye disease screening program.

This initiative builds upon the success of Nayanamritham 1.0, expanding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance early detection and improve access to eye care across the state.

Enhancing Screening Through AI

Nayanamritham 1.0 introduced diabetic retinopathy screening at Family Health Centers, with ophthalmologists at secondary and tertiary centers providing expert interpretation.

The new phase, Nayanamritham 2.0, strengthens this model by equipping optometrists with Remidio’s AI-powered fundus cameras. These cameras instantly classify cases as referable or non-referable, ensuring quicker diagnosis and timely referrals.

Beyond diabetic retinopathy, the updated program now includes screening for glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The initiative has also expanded its reach to community health centers, taluk hospitals, and district hospitals, integrating AI-driven screening into multiple levels of the healthcare system.

Advancing Eye Care Through Technology

This initiative marks a major milestone in India’s public healthcare system, as it is the first of its kind to deploy AI for chronic eye disease screening.

By integrating AI into routine screenings, the program enhances efficiency and accuracy while improving early detection rates. It also allows healthcare providers to focus on complex cases, optimizing the allocation of medical expertise.

Remidio, the Bengaluru-based health-tech company supporting this initiative, is playing a key role in developing scalable and data-driven eye care solutions.

By working closely with Kerala’s health department, the company is contributing to reducing preventable blindness and improving patient outcomes.

Anand Sivaraman, CEO of Remidio, emphasized the significance of the collaboration, stating, “The Kerala Government has integrated AI into public health in an unprecedented way, making it the first government health system in the world to adopt AI for chronic eye disease screening.”

He added, “By embedding Remidio’s 3-in-1 AI into existing workflows, we are making eye screenings more efficient, accessible, and affordable. This initiative highlights how government partnerships with Indian health-tech innovators can drive large-scale impact.”

Dr. Bipin Gopal, Deputy Director of the Department of Health Services in Kerala, underscored AI’s role in improving healthcare delivery.

“AI isn’t here to replace healthcare providers—it’s here to support them. By leveraging ethical AI, we enable optometrists to detect routine cases using AI-powered cameras, while ophthalmologists focus on more advanced cases, ensuring high-quality care where it’s needed most,” he said.

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