Poshan Innovation Platform launched to aid innovations in maternal, child health in Bengaluru
It was launched in association with the office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Central government at the Bengaluru Design Week on Saturday
the India Nutrition Collaborative introduced the Poshan Innovation Platform (PIP), marking a significant leap forward in collaborative efforts to drive innovations in maternal and child health. Launched in collaboration with the office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Central government, this pioneering initiative was unveiled during the Bengaluru Design Week on Saturday.
The Poshan Innovation Platform is heralded as India's premier collaborative incubator, dedicated to fostering innovations in maternal and child health. It aims to catalyze positive change by providing crucial support in the form of seed funding and investment opportunities, with a focus on scaling these innovations to address the nutritional challenges faced by mothers and children across the nation.
Addressing the gathering, experts highlighted the predominantly tech-driven nature of existing innovations, noting their concentration in urban areas while often neglecting accessibility issues at the grassroots level. The platform seeks to rectify this imbalance by encouraging innovations in areas such as gender equity, digital equity, market equity, and the promotion of nutrition-seeking behavior.
The primary objectives of the Poshan Innovation Platform are centered around combatting stunting and wasting in young children and addressing anemia in women of reproductive age. The initiative underscores the importance of a holistic approach, covering factors beyond nutrition alone.
Dr. Sapna Poti, Director of Strategic Alliances at the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, emphasized the alarming state of nutrition in India, citing the country's 101st ranking out of 116 in the Global Hunger Index 2023. She emphasized that malnutrition affects not only those from low socio-economic backgrounds but also individuals from affluent backgrounds. Therefore, innovations must extend beyond nutrition and encompass all contributing factors.
One critical aspect discussed during the launch was the common fate of many well-intentioned initiatives becoming "cute experiments" confined to laboratories due to a lack of mentorship and financial support. The Poshan Innovation Platform aims to address this challenge by facilitating the evaluation of scalable innovations, thereby enhancing their credibility and impact.
Dr. Smriti Pahwa of the India Nutrition Collaborative stressed the imperative to tackle the issue of "ineffective delivery and uptake" to effectively combat malnutrition in the country. The Poshan Innovation Platform stands poised to bridge critical gaps in this regard, offering a collaborative space for transformative ideas and initiatives in the realm of maternal and child health.
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