IIT Guwahati Plans To Establish Biomedical Device And Diagnostics Center For Better Healthcare In Rural India

The central government along with IIT Guwahati takes major steps to innovate Biomedical Device and Diagnostics center to better the rural healthcare system in India.

The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati has taken up a multidisciplinary initiative to establish a ICMR-DHR Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Device and Diagnostics Innovation and Commercialization for upgrading the quality of healthcare facilities in rural India. Through this approach, there aim is to provide technology-influenced healthcare facilities in rural parts of the country. This is initiative has been taken up by unanimously by Professors, Researchers, Entrepreneurs, Doctors, and Students from multiple departments to inculcate research and innovation in the healthcare domain. This step is also in line with the National Education Policy 2020 of the Government of India.

The institute stated that the departments that are leading this initiative are the Departments of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Biosciences and Bioengineering, Design, Mathematics and Electrical Engineering and some more.

The Current Plan Of Action

The center has proposed some new approaches to tackle healthcare in rural India. These steps are expected to cater for the societal needs related to diagnostics and healthcare delivery, especially in far off regions and villages which do not receive every facility.

• IIT Guwahati is currently working on detecting various non-communicable diseases by detecting biomarkers using microfluidic and semiconductor nano biosensors.
• Along with this, it is also working on developing a diagnostic device for storage, collection, analysis and security of the data pertaining to rural India.
• Under the 'Atmanirbhar Baharat' scheme, they will also innovate indigenous alternatives to the imported devices that are used in the healthcare system in India.

According to the experts, the center will be responsible for the availability of essential diagnostic devices, a few pilot-scale digital health kiosks, and the development of indigenous tech-based alternatives in the rural regions.