PASIGHAT, October 2 The Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, with technical support from Wadhwani AI, conducted a three-day training programme on the Newborn Anthropometry AI (NBA) tool and Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) integrated with Artificial Intelligence through the Shishu Mapan application from September 29 to October 1, 2026.
The training was organised with the support of the District Health Society, East Siang, and was conducted in three batches across Ruksin, Pasighat and Mebo blocks. The initiative aims to equip frontline health workers with technology-enabled tools for improved monitoring and assessment of newborns at the community level.
The AI-enabled application developed by Wadhwani AI is designed to support frontline health workers in monitoring newborns aged 0–42 days. Using a video of approximately 15 to 20 seconds, the application can capture key anthropometric parameters, including weight, length or height, head circumference, chest circumference and mid-upper arm circumference.
The initiative also integrates a digitised HBNC recording system, enabling ASHAs to electronically record newborn home visits. The integrated platform is expected to simplify documentation, improve the availability of newborn-related data and strengthen monitoring of HBNC services by frontline health workers and programme managers.
A total of 108 ASHAs and 15 ASHA Facilitators from Ruksin, Pasighat and Mebo blocks participated in the training. District and block-level officials, including the District RCH Officer, District ASHA Nodal Officer, District Community Mobilizer and Block Community Mobilizers of East Siang, also took part in the programme.
As part of the contextualisation of the AI application for Arunachal Pradesh, field-based model contextualisation was undertaken in Namsai, Papum Pare, East Siang, West Siang and Changlang districts. The exercise was aimed at adapting and validating the application according to the population characteristics and field conditions of the state.
Following the contextualisation exercise, the integrated NBA-HBNC AI application is being rolled out and scaled up in East Siang and West Siang districts. The implementation will provide an opportunity to assess the application’s usability, accuracy, feasibility and acceptability under field conditions.
Based on the findings and learnings from the rollout, the initiative is proposed to be extended to other districts of Arunachal Pradesh. The programme marks an effort to use digital technology and Artificial Intelligence to strengthen newborn care services and provide ASHAs with efficient, technology-enabled tools for community-level healthcare
