WB-IITKGP-HEALTHCARE

IIT-KGP to set up hub to tap MSMEs for affordable healthcare
    Kolkata, Feb 2 (PTI) IIT Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) will set
up a research and technology development hub, which will focus
on making healthcare more affordable and tap the potential of
MSMEs in the medical sector.
    The Common Research and Technology Development Hub
(CRTDH) is supported by the Department of Scientific and
Industrial Research (DSIR), and will come up at the IIT-KGP
campus.
    The hub will address the issues of accessibility and
affordability challenging the modern healthcare system through
technological innovations, a faculty member said.
    "Another key area of focus will be supporting growth
and development of precision manufacturing of innovative
technologies through MSMEs, so that India can reduce its
massive burden of imported healthcare technologies," Visiting
Professor, School of Medical Science and Technology, IIT-KGP,
Satadal Saha said here announcing the CRTDH project.
    Saha said access to quality primary healthcare remains
a major challenge in rural parts of India, with over 80 per
cent of healthcare technology being imported, escalating
costs.
    "Also, the concentration of leading healthcare units
being in urban areas leads to accessibility issues," Saha said
on Friday.
    Over 45 per cent of rural jobs are created within the
micro, small and medium enterprises sector and with the
presence of five million MSMEs in West Bengal alone, the hub
will "unleash" their potential in West Bengal and beyond, he
said.
    With the development of healthcare technologies,
manufacturing growth will be fostered, creating more jobs in
the suburbs, Saha said.
    On the completion of successful laboratory tests,
scientific validation studies and prototype creation,
projects will be undertaken at CRTDH for further product-level
development.
    "We will endeavour to build capacity within the MSMEs
to enable it to manufacture high-quality products that can
compete in the global market...", Associate Dean, Sponsored
Research and Industrial Consultancy, IIT-KGP, Suman
Chakraborty said. PTI SUS
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