Mumbai, 18th September, 2026: In a significant step towards promoting preventive healthcare and raising awareness about diabetes-related complications, Eyebetes Foundation, in collaboration with Forus Health, will conduct free health screening initiatives at two of Mumbai’s most visited Ganpati destinations, Siddhivinayak Temple and GSB Ganpati Mandal, during the Ganpati festival.

The pilot initiative is expected to benefit more than 15,000 devotees through free diabetes screening, eye health assessments and awareness-building activities. The programme aims to encourage early health checks among citizens, particularly those who may be at risk of diabetes or diabetes-related eye complications but may not undergo regular medical screening.

As part of the pilot initiative, devotees will have access to diabetes screening and eye assessments designed to support early identification of potential health risks. Forus Health will support the initiative with its AI-enabled retinal screening technology. Through solutions such as FH-POISE AI, retinal images can be used to generate insights associated with diabetes risk and estimate HbA1c levels without requiring a blood draw or laboratory processing.

The significance of retinal analysis lies in the fact that the retina provides a direct, non-invasive view of the body's microvascular system. Diabetes can cause changes in small retinal blood vessels, and retinal imaging can capture several of these structural features. AI can analyse these complex patterns across retinal images and identify associations that may not be apparent through conventional visual examination alone. This creates the possibility of using a simple retinal image as an additional screening tool for identifying individuals who may require further assessment.

“With FH-POISE AI solutions, we are exploring how a simple retinal image can provide insights that traditionally require a blood test. Our AI models can estimate HbA1c levels and flag diabetes risk from a single retinal image, without the need for a blood draw or laboratory processing. The retina gives us a unique, non-invasive view of the body’s microvascular health, and AI can help translate these insights into meaningful screening support,” said Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Research & Development at Forus Health.

The approach assumes particular significance in India, where the growing population at risk of diabetes and pre-diabetes makes accessible screening increasingly important. Many individuals may not undergo regular HbA1c testing because of cost, availability of laboratories, geographical distance, lack of awareness, or the inconvenience associated with conventional testing. A retinal screening pathway could potentially create an additional, faster, and non-invasive touchpoint for identifying people who may benefit from confirmatory blood testing and medical consultation.

HbA1c is an important indicator because it provides an estimate of average blood glucose levels over a longer period, unlike a single point-in-time glucose measurement. If retinal imaging can provide AI-assisted estimates or risk indicators associated with HbA1c, it could help expand screening beyond conventional laboratory settings. This is particularly relevant for community-based healthcare, where large populations can be reached without requiring every individual to initially access a hospital or diagnostic centre.

“Diabetes is no longer only a metabolic concern; it is a major public health challenge with consequences that can affect the eyes, kidneys, heart, nerves and overall quality of life. What makes AI-powered retinal screening particularly promising is its potential to make diabetes risk assessment quicker, non-invasive, and more accessible, especially in communities where regular laboratory testing may not always be easy to access. Through this pilot initiative with Forus Health, we are exploring how a simple retinal image can provide meaningful insights into an individual’s HbA1c levels and potentially support early identification of people who may need further evaluation. The technology is still evolving and should complement, rather than replace, conventional blood testing and clinical diagnosis. However, the opportunity to develop an Indian dataset, train models on Indian populations and take this innovation beyond hospitals and laboratories into community settings could be significant for the future of preventive healthcare in India.” — Dr. Nishant Kumar, Consultant Ophthalmologist, Retina Surgeon and Uveitis Specialist, Founder, Eyebetes Foundation

The larger potential of this technology lies in scalability. Retinal imaging can potentially be deployed at community screening camps, primary healthcare settings, mobile health units and other high-footfall locations, while AI can support rapid preliminary analysis and risk stratification. This could enable healthcare systems to identify people who need further testing and direct limited clinical resources towards higher-risk individuals.

The collaboration between Eyebetes Foundation and Forus Health therefore represents an emerging model of preventive healthcare that combines community outreach, retinal imaging and artificial intelligence. By taking screening closer to communities, such technology could help bridge accessibility gaps and create a more scalable pathway for early risk identification.

The screening programme will be conducted during the Ganpati festival at Siddhivinayak Temple and GSB Ganpati Mandal in Mumbai. The health insights generated through the screening process are intended for awareness and preliminary risk assessment and should not be considered a substitute for conventional HbA1c testing, clinical diagnosis, or consultation with a qualified healthcare professional.