The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research under the Ministry of Science and Technology has moved the Common Research and Technology Development Hub on Affordable Healthcare at IIT Kharagpur into its sustainable phase. The facility, which began operations in 2019, has now transitioned to become financially self-reliant through user fees, industry sponsorships and research partnerships. This shift marks a significant step in India’s efforts to develop and deploy low-cost medical technologies across underserved regions.
What the Hub has achieved and how it will operate
Operating from a 5,000-square-foot facility at IIT Kharagpur, the Hub has enabled over 20 technology transfers, many of which have already reached commercial markets. The facility provides laboratories, technical expertise and development support to small businesses, startups and individual innovators working on affordable healthcare solutions.
In its sustainable phase, the Hub will continue offering infrastructure and technical assistance to enterprises, but will now fund its operations through user fees paid by companies, financial support from industry, and partnerships focused on translating research into marketable products. This model means the Hub is no longer dependent on government grants to maintain its basic functioning.
A key part of the Hub’s work involves training rural health workers in remote areas, including the Sundarbans and Birbhum. These 15 trained and certified workers now operate in village health units, using affordable diagnostic technologies to provide screening, referral and follow-up services in communities where access to modern diagnostic facilities is limited. Their work runs alongside India’s National Health Mission structure.
What this means for you
If you are an MSME owner, startup founder or innovator developing medical devices or healthcare technologies, the Hub offers shared laboratory space and technical guidance to help turn your prototypes into products ready for market. If you live in a remote rural area, you may now have better access to basic diagnostic screening through trained local health workers who have learned to use simpler, affordable versions of medical diagnostic tools. The Hub’s model shows how frugal engineering and local skill development can deliver healthcare services to villages where conventional infrastructure does not exist.