Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Sep 28: DeepTek has launched a Global Access Pricing model for its World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended Chest X-ray AI solution, making the technology more affordable for eligible public-sector and not-for-profit healthcare providers across 138 low- and middle-income countries.
The initiative has been enabled through an access agreement with Unitaid and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), with the aim of helping national tuberculosis programmes expand AI-assisted screening within existing healthcare budgets.
Tuberculosis remains a major global health challenge, with an estimated 1.23 million deaths recorded in 2024. While chest X-rays are an important tool for TB screening, shortages of radiologists in high-burden countries can delay the interpretation of scans. AI-based chest X-ray analysis is increasingly being used to help address this diagnostic bottleneck by identifying signs of TB and supporting faster screening.
Under the new pricing model, eligible health systems can access DeepTek's Chest X-ray AI solution at approximately one-third of its previous price. According to the company, the reduction could enable programmes to screen up to three times as many people within existing budgets.
The annual subscription includes unlimited AI analyses per connected X-ray unit, installation, user training, product updates, maintenance and technical support. The solution supports online, offline and hybrid deployment, enabling its use in hospitals, diagnostic centres, mobile screening units and healthcare facilities operating in areas with limited connectivity.
Beyond TB, DeepTek's technology can identify more than 20 clinically relevant chest abnormalities. The company said the pricing framework also provides transparent pricing for additional indications, including cardiomegaly, silicosis and lung cancer, potentially allowing health systems to expand from TB screening to broader lung-health programmes.
DeepTek Co-founder and Managing Director Ajit Patil said the company aims to make its WHO-recommended technology more accessible through a transparent pricing model designed for scale, while supporting wider screening and earlier detection of TB.
Unitaid Executive Director Dr Philippe Duneton said reducing the cost of diagnostic tools could help expand access to timely TB diagnosis amid funding constraints.
CHAI Vice President of Global Markets Marie Chantale Lepine said lower annual licensing costs could enable high-burden countries to equip more mobile clinics and community health centres with AI-powered chest X-ray screening capabilities.