AstraZeneca Inks MoU with Telangana Gov to Advance AI-powered Lung Cancer Screening in Public Hospitals

Under the partnership agreement, AstraZeneca will support the deployment of Healthtech startup Qure.ai's AI-powered chest X-ray solution, which will be integrated into routine workflows at public health facilities across the state.

AstraZeneca Pharma India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Health & Family Welfare Department, Government of Telangana, to deploy AI-enabled lung cancer screening across the public healthcare facilities in the state.

The new partnership is aimed at strengthening early detection and enhancing patient outcomes in both urban and rural areas.

According to the Telangana Cancer Burden Profile 2026, published by ICMR-NCDIR, one in six women in Hyderabad faces the risk of developing cancer in her lifetime; one in eight men is likely to receive a cancer diagnosis before the age of 74.

These trends are reflected at the state level, with Telangana projected to record 46,762 new cancer cases among adults in 2026, rising to 47,314 by 2030, an estimated 13% increase by 2027, as per reports.

Additionally, low awareness, cost barriers, and limited access in rural areas compound the challenge, frequently delaying diagnosis until the disease has progressed beyond curative treatment.

Commenting on the partnership, Dr. S. Sangeetha Satyanarayana, Commissioner of Health & Family Welfare Directorate, Government of Telangana, said, “Telangana is witnessing a steady rise in cancer cases, and late diagnosis due to limited screening uptake remains a major challenge. This collaboration integrates technology into routine public healthcare to bridge gaps in access and capacity and reflects our continued focus on building a more proactive, future-ready health system.”

Under the partnership agreement, AstraZeneca will support the deployment of Healthtech startup Qure.ai's AI-powered chest X-ray solution, which will be integrated into routine workflows at public health facilities across the state.

The X-ray solution is intended to assist clinicians in detecting high-risk pulmonary nodules, a predominant precursor of lung cancer, along with 29 other lung conditions.

Patients identified as high-risk will be triaged further for lung cancer diagnostic confirmation or follow-up, enabling early intervention and improving the likelihood of favourable outcomes through stage-shift diagnosis.

Further, the initiative is expected to be implemented across 20 public health facilities, covering urban and rural health systems. It includes training and upskilling of healthcare professionals to support effective and sustainable adoption, as well as infrastructure enhancements.

Reportedly, a similar model has already been adopted in Goa, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.

Telangana has also been advancing its digital health infrastructure with plans to scale the deployment of Health ATMs across high-footfall government hospitals after early pilots showed faster diagnostics, improved patient flow, and reliable test accuracy, supporting broader statewide deployment.

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