Odisha installs AI-enabled microscope at Malkangiri District Hospital

An artificial intelligence-enabled microscope has been installed at Odisha’s Malkangiri district hospital with an aim to detect malaria with clinical accuracy.

Prafulla Kumar Nanda, the chief district medical and public health officer for Malkangiri informed the media, on Wednesday. The AI-based microscope has been installed on a trial basis for now, reported PTI. For improved diagnosis, the microscope, created by a start-up from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, distinguishes between P falciparum and P vivax readily.

India, a nation with a population of more than 1.4 billion, has struggled with malaria for a long time. According to the 2022 World Malaria Report, India was responsible for 79 per cent of all malaria cases worldwide, with the WHO South-East Asia Region accounting for 2 per cent of those cases.

India is responsible for 82.4 per cent of all malaria-related fatalities in the area, despite the fact that the number of deaths brought on by the disease has remained stable over the last three years. Despite this, India is listed in the report’s top five High Burden to High Impact (HBHI) countries and has shown a decline in malaria-related mortality. However, India still makes a major contribution to the total malaria burden in the HBHI countries.

What are symptoms of Malaria?
Accoridng to the Mayo Clinic, malaria is a disease that is caused by a parasite. Its symptoms mostly start within a few weeks after the bite of the infected mosquito, however, some of the malaria parasites can lie stagnant in the body for up to a year.

Signs and symptoms of malaria may include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Feeling of discomfort
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Muscle or joint pain
• Fatigue
• Rapid breathing
• Rapid heart rate
• Cough

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