Bengaluru's C-CAMP Collaborates with Karnataka Health Department to Strengthen Public Health System

Under this arrangement, C-CAMP will closely collaborate with Karnataka's National Health Mission and the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services to pinpoint significant deficiencies within the state's public healthcare infrastructure.

The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), a deep-tech innovation hub based in Bengaluru, has joined forces with the Karnataka Department of Health and Family Welfare in a strategic partnership aimed at fortifying the state's public healthcare infrastructure with indigenous and innovative health solutions.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) sealing this collaboration was recently signed by Karnataka Health Commissioner D. Randeep and Dr Taslimarif Saiyed, director-CEO of C-CAMP, in the presence of Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.

According to officials from the state's health department, this partnership is set to facilitate the identification, implementation, and integration of innovative health technologies across primary to tertiary healthcare facilities in both urban and rural areas of Karnataka.

Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao emphasised the significance of improved diagnostics and screening at the grassroots level to prevent diseases and detect them early. He also highlighted the importance of nurturing high-quality locally developed technologies, which will be a key focus of this collaboration.

Health Commissioner D. Randeep added that the department is enthusiastic about partnering with C-CAMP to introduce indigenous and context-specific health solutions for the state. The objective is to strengthen health outreach programs and enhance doorstep healthcare services through innovative field-use technologies, including improved screening and diagnostics.

C-CAMP has a history of close collaborations with the Karnataka Government, particularly with the Department of IT and BT (Biotechnology), which aims to foster innovation development by supporting early-stage startups.

This partnership with the Department of Health and Family Welfare, will shift the focus toward the implementation of market-ready and relevant health technologies, according to a statement from the health department.

Dr. Taslimarif Saiyed, director-CEO of C-CAMP, said, 'œWe are looking forward keenly to joining hands with the Department of Health in taking science from bench to bedside. Public health system still serves 30 percent of the population in India. It is critical to improve healthcare delivery for this huge section of society. We are here to create impact, change healthcare outcomes and save lives.'

Dr. Naveen Bhat, mission director of the National Health Mission (NHM) in Karnataka, highlighted the potential for integrating state-of-the-art medical devices and innovations from C-CAMP across various health departments to enhance public health delivery. According to him, this partnership is expected to address unmet healthcare needs in Karnataka and provide a technological boost to the health sector.

Under this agreement, C-CAMP will work closely with the National Health Mission, Karnataka, and the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services to identify critical gaps in the state's public healthcare infrastructure.

The collaborative efforts will encompass pilot programs and the scaled deployment of locally developed innovative solutions. The partnership envisions aiding Karnataka in achieving its healthcare targets and ensuring better healthcare delivery to its citizens.

Established in 2009, C-CAMP was conceived by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, with the purpose of fostering and accelerating cutting-edge research and innovation within the field of life sciences. C-CAMP is an integral component of the Bangalore Life Sciences Cluster (BLiSC).