AI to provide eye treatment in Bangladesh 

Artificial Intelligence will be deployed to provide treatment to save people from blindness and other diseases.

Diabetes causes retina damage, which can be detected by AI at its early stages in just 30 seconds. AI can also be used in preventive measures, according to a start-up, iHealthScreen, at the Jatiya Press Club yesterday.    

Alauddin Bhuiyan, chief scientist, founder, and chairman of iHealthScreen, said it had developed a system to diagnose diabetic retinopathy. A highly sophisticated mobile eye screening bus will be inaugurated on February 6 at the National Museum. 

"Our screening machine ensures 97% accuracy. Using Artificial Intelligence, the machine can run analysis and generate results immediately."  

According to Alauddin, the procedure is safe for the elderly people, adding that iHealthScreen would initially screen 50 lakh diabetic patients registered with Bangladesh Diabetic Society. Non-registered diabetic patients will be screened during the second phase. 

Managing Director of iHealthScreen, A K M Shohel Rana said, "We hope to be able to provide low-cost services and will reduce cases of blindness resulting from diabetes."

iHealthScreen has been working with a strong IT team since 2017 and has received a $2.5 million fund from the National Institute of Health in the US, he said.