The Office of AI Punjab has explained how Awaaz-e-Sehat, a WhatsApp-based artificial intelligence system, is being tested to support pregnant women before and after medical consultations. The pilot is designed to make healthcare interactions more informed by helping patients communicate their symptoms and access follow-up guidance beyond their visits to healthcare facilities. According to the Office of AI, a pregnant woman can interact with the system before seeing a doctor, allowing it to collect information about her symptoms and prepare a structured summary for the consultation. This can help organise the information a patient wants to share with a healthcare professional and make more effective use of the time available during an appointment. After the consultation, the same tool remains accessible through WhatsApp, allowing the patient to ask questions about symptoms and better understand when further medical attention may be necessary. The initiative reflects Punjab’s efforts to explore practical applications of AI in public service delivery, with maternal healthcare among the areas where accessible digital tools could help address gaps in communication and continuity of care.
A key feature of Awaaz-e-Sehat is its integration into a messaging platform that many people already use, reducing the need for patients to download and learn a separate application. Before an appointment, the AI system helps capture symptoms and organise the information into a format that can support a conversation with a doctor. This structured approach may help patients communicate concerns that could otherwise be difficult to explain or remember during a consultation. Following the visit, the system provides a continuing point of contact for questions and health-related guidance at home. The approach is intended to connect different stages of the healthcare journey rather than limit digital support to the time spent inside a clinic. Awaaz-e-Sehat is part of a wider maternal health technology initiative developed through research and implementation work associated with the National AI Hub at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). Its broader development has explored the use of voice technology, digital records and AI-assisted guidance to support maternal healthcare in settings where access to medical resources can be limited. The current government-backed pilot is testing how such tools can fit into existing healthcare services and respond to patients’ practical needs.
The system’s potential role extends beyond collecting information, as it is intended to help women understand health guidance and recognise when a concern may require additional attention. Pregnancy can involve symptoms that vary in urgency, making clear communication and timely access to qualified healthcare professionals important. By remaining available after an appointment, a digital assistant may help patients revisit information and identify questions they want to raise with their healthcare provider. However, AI-generated guidance is intended to complement professional care rather than replace a doctor, midwife or other qualified health worker. The system should not be treated as a substitute for emergency services, clinical assessment or prescribed treatment. Its usefulness will depend on the accuracy of its responses, the clarity of its instructions and its ability to direct users towards appropriate medical support when necessary. The pilot also raises practical considerations around the privacy of sensitive health information shared through digital channels, the reliability of the technology and whether women with different levels of digital literacy can use it comfortably. These factors will be important in assessing whether the approach can be expanded to reach more patients across Punjab.
The Awaaz-e-Sehat pilot forms part of Punjab’s wider effort to apply artificial intelligence to public-sector services under its AI Vision 2029 agenda. The Office of AI has been working with LUMS’s National AI Hub and other stakeholders to identify applications that address local needs, including healthcare delivery. The partnership combines government involvement in public-service implementation with academic research and technical development. The project’s progress will depend on how effectively the tool fits into clinical workflows, how patients and healthcare professionals respond to it, and whether its benefits can be demonstrated through evaluation. Details about the latest pilot’s user numbers, participating facilities and measured outcomes have not been fully disclosed. The initiative nevertheless provides an example of how conversational AI can be tested as a link between patients and healthcare providers, particularly in maternal health, where information and follow-up can be important throughout pregnancy. Further evaluation will help determine whether the approach can be expanded and what safeguards or operational changes may be needed to support wider use.
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