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IISc and Wipro GE Healthcare Collaborate for Healthcare Innovation

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Wipro GE Healthcare has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to establish a groundbreaking partnership focused on advancing healthcare innovation, research, and technology development in India. This collaboration aims to address the entire healthcare lifecycle by jointly developing solutions, validating technologies, and locally manufacturing them for market availability. The strategic alliance will play a crucial role in bridging the care gap, especially with the forthcoming launch of the Bagchi-Parthasarathy Hospital & IISc Medical School. Through this partnership, technologies will seamlessly transition from the research stage to practical implementation, ensuring a comprehensive impact on healthcare.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Report 2018, globally, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) accounted for 71 percent of total deaths. In India, NCDs were estimated to account for 63 percent of all deaths, and cancer was one of the leading causes (9 percent). This industry-academia collaboration aims to advance indigenous innovation and manufacturing of MedTech products that meet the needs of both global and local patients suffering from NCDs including cancer, cardiology, and neurology in line with the agenda of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.

The partnership will involve collaborative efforts in various domains, including basic and applied science, systems engineering, product and software development, consultancy, publications, academic studies, internships, fellowships, and training. A joint working committee, composed of representatives from both IISc and GE Healthcare, will be established to conduct research focused on the development of products and solutions.

Govindan Rangarajan, Director, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), said, “We see a tremendous need for innovative R&D that can improve outcomes in patients with NCD. The collaboration will emphasize combining science and engineering with translational & clinical research to epitomize ‘bench-to-bedside’ innovation. GE HealthCare is the right partner for us in this initiative, given its leadership and strong footprint in India for R&D and manufacturing. We are confident that together, we can accelerate India’s position as a global force for healthcare for the world".

Chaitanya Sarawate, Managing Director, Wipro GE Healthcare and President & CEO, GE HealthCare South Asia, said, “India today is at an inflection point, with a potential to become the hub for the world. IISc is a premier educational institute engaged in technical education, basic and applied research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and industrial consultancy and GE HealthCare is a world leader in MedTech with a strategic R&D and manufacturing footprint in India. This is a strategic collaboration that combines the strengths, capabilities, and local infrastructure of both entities. Our aim together is to invest in technologies of the future that can revolutionize the care paradigm – with more precise, connected, and compassionate care to patients in India and worldwide".

The partnership is in line with the Indian government's commitment to promoting indigenous research and development (R&D) as well as manufacturing within the MedTech sector. This underscores the need for public-private partnership (PPP) models to actively advance technology development. Both entities will join forces in collaborative initiatives for product development and clinical research, contributing to the localization of manufacturing and enhancing academic activities. These efforts aim to fortify the healthcare ecosystem through increased self-sufficiency.