Foundation for Center for Healthcare Entrepreneurship (CfHE) at the Indian Institute of Technology-Hyderabad (IIT-H) on Monday announced that it has won a ‘Grand Challenges Explorations’ grant, an initiative funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
CfHE fellow Jignesh Patel will pursue an innovative global health and development research project titled Vaccination On Wheels.
The grant, a US$100 million initiative, supports innovative thinkers worldwide to explore ideas that can solve persistent global health and development challenges. Mr. Patel’s project is one of approximately 50 Grand Challenges Explorations round 22 grants announced by the Gates Foundation. Over 1,420 projects in more than 65 countries have received the grant since its launch in 2008.
Keeping focus on ‘increasing demand for vaccination through convenience’ in mind, Mr. Patel, has developed a vaccination service model. It has been designed to increase vaccination coverage among low income urban populations by designing a mobile vaccine service including a smartphone-based management app that provides customised vaccinations at homes and schools, and at lower cost.
“Our pilot study will commence in Pune followed by two more cities in Maharashtra. This service will be launched through Jivika Healthcare under the brand name of VaccineOnWheels.com,” says Mr. Patel.
Renu John, co-head of CfHE and head of Department of Biomedical Engineering, IIT-H, says, “The biodesign process thinking has helped in identifying gaps in vaccination coverage in urban districts. Mr Patel has come up with a sustainable business model to fill these gaps while organically participating with national programmes on vaccination with a beneficiary-centric approach.”
