IndicStack Reports · First published 8 October 2026

Silent until it isn’t

What AI can and can’t do for diabetic retinopathy screening in India.

For teams building healthcare AI, the screening journey extends beyond the model. This article examines the workflow around it, the evidence behind it, and the questions that remain.

Dr Prasanth Ghanta, PhD

Founding Scientist, Life Sciences & Healthcare

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Report cover: Silent until it isn’t, by Dr Prasanth Ghanta, PhD

Inside the report

The screening workflow

Image quality, the AI’s first read, human rechecks and the path to the eye clinic.

The evidence and its limits

Studies from India and Rwanda, and what they tell us about screening and follow-up.

Designing for real settings

Practical considerations for camps, primary health centres and people’s homes.

The photograph as health data

Consent, records and the questions to ask whoever hosts your AI.

Take a look inside

A preview of the article’s opening page. The complete report includes the figures, references and author details.

Written for healthcare AI builders, life-sciences teams and researchers.

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Preview of the report’s opening page and source-labelled chart

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