Koita Foundation-RSSDI Launch Centre for Digital Diabetology for Diabetes Mgmt & Research

KCDD aims to create a strong healthcare technology team to define and execute national digital programs in diabetes management & research.

In yet another pioneering effort, Koita Foundation has joined hands with the Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI) to establish the RSSDI-Koita Centre for Digital Diabetology (KCDD).

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the two institutes to formalize this initiative at the RSSDI Annual Research Retreat 2024 in Jaipur on April 13, 2024.

Key figures including Dr Rakesh Sahay, president RSSDI, Dr Sanjay Agarwal, secretary general, RSSDI, Rekha Koita, director, Koita Foundation, and Surabhi Goel, COO, Koita Foundation convened to ink the formal agreement.

KCDD aims to create a strong healthcare technology team to define and execute national digital programs in diabetes management & research.

The inception of KCDD underscores both organizations' unwavering commitment to leveraging technology to address the multifaceted challenges associated with diabetes care in India.

Rizwan Koita, cofounder & director of Koita Foundation, underscored the strategic alignment between RSSDI-KCDD initiatives and the government of India's focus on driving Digital Health adoption, including the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.

“Given the scale and breadth of RSSDI and its 50-year track record, it is ideally positioned to provide leadership in this new and emerging space…Moreover, the ability to aggregate patient data at scale will help RSSDI-KCDD drive use of advanced technologies like AI and Machine Learning in diabetes management, and provide tools for developing public health programs,” he said.

Tackling India’s Diabetes Crisis

India is often called the "Diabetes Capital of the World" because it has 17% of the world's diabetes patients.

According to a study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), India has 101 million diabetics and 136 million pre-diabetic individuals.

The number of people with diabetes in India is expected to increase to 135 million by 2045.

RSSDI-KCDD is the very first center in India focused on digital diabetology.

The Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI) is the largest association of physicians in Asia dedicated to the care of people with diabetes. It has over 11,500 members across 23 states in India.

Koita Foundation is a not-for-profit organization launched by Rizwan and Rekha Koita (cofounders of CitiusTech) focused on driving digital health adoption and NGO transformation in India.

In 2022, the Koita Foundation launched the Koita Centre for Digital Oncology (KCDO) in collaboration with Tata Memorial and the National Cancer Grid. The latest partnership will leverage learnings from the KCDO.

Key Focus Areas for RSSDI-KCDD

Enhancing Quality

The partnership will utilize digital technology to enhance diabetes treatment workflows and elevate patient experience. It will focus on the implementation of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs), adherence to clinical quality measures, and patient engagement strategies. It will also integrate AI and ML for optimized outcomes.

Promoting Affordability

The center will identify opportunities for cost reduction through the application of digital health technology and data-sharing initiatives. To this effect, it will also have a cost of care benchmarking to enhance the affordability of diabetes care.

Improving Access

The center will focus on providing high-quality diabetes care, particularly in rural and non-urban regions through the use of digital technology to enhance accessibility to. It will also facilitate the deployment of telemedicine solutions to bridge geographical gaps in healthcare services.

Boosting Productivity

The center will employ digital tools and automation to streamline clinical and administrative workflows to mitigate manual and redundant tasks for enhanced productivity in diabetes management.

Establishing Best Practices

RSSDI-KCDD will identify and disseminate best practices in digital technology for effective diabetes management.

Training, Capacity Building, Research and Development

The center will enable continuous learning and skill development across diverse user groups, including doctors, nurses, and technicians using digital health tools. It will forge strategic partnerships with healthcare startups, pharmaceutical companies, and other organizations to drive innovation and research in diabetes management.

Commenting on the partnership, Dr Rakesh Sahay, president, RSSDI, emphasized, "This centre is going to play an important role in the development of newer technologies and innovations for improving diabetes care management."

Dr Sanjay Agarwal, secretary general of RSSDI, echoed Dr Sahay's sentiments, emphasizing the need to leverage digital tools to support patients, doctors, and healthcare systems.