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Task force activated to support health startups in the Middle East
The South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare has formed a task force and established a support centre to monitor the ongoing regional conflict in the Middle East and provide support to affected Korean healthcare companies and medical institutions.
Based on a media release, the task force was established to conduct live monitoring of Korean companies' regional healthcare operations, supply chains, and export logistics. It will provide support through emergency logistics vouchers and policy financing to address rising transport costs and potential payment delays.
The support centre, operated by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute since 6 March, is engaging Korean biohealth exporters and providers with operations in the Middle East to assess impacts and coordinate government response with other ministries.
HKU, Suzhou hospital tie up for health startup incubation
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has partnered with Suzhou Kowloon Hospital in China to jointly develop medical technology and collaborate on clinical research.
Under their memorandum of understanding, they will jointly incubate healthcare startups, facilitate technology transfer, share research expertise and facilities, and conduct cross-border training programmes.
The organisations, according to a press release, aim to establish a cross-border ecosystem covering research, investment, and talent development.
Andhra Pradesh pilots AI tools in hospitals
The government of Andhra Pradesh, a state in India's southeast, is piloting AI-powered healthcare technologies across 18 government hospitals to support faster diagnosis and improve treatment quality, according to a news report.
The state is deploying around 40 devices from selected startups to help screen and diagnose up to 15 conditions, including tuberculosis, heart disease and cervical cancer. Other tools include telemedicine, wearable monitoring, AI-assisted clinical decision support, and systems that generate consultation summaries and prescriptions.
The pilot, selected from 297 proposals under an AP government programme, is being considered for statewide rollout and integration with the national government's digital health programme, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, to support digital patient records.
Bengaluru hospital launches AI operating system
A private hospital in Bengaluru, capital of Karnataka in south India, has developed and introduced an AI-powered operating system to manage end-to-end clinical and operational workflows.
Superhealth's in-house SuperOS reportedly uses agentic AI to support consultations, automate documentation, optimise operating theatre scheduling, enable cloud-based imaging analysis, and coordinate tasks among clinical staff and systems.
The unified platform integrates functions across outpatient care, diagnostics, inpatient monitoring and surgery.
