Bengaluru: Poshan Innovation Platform (PIP) to foster innovations in maternal and child health

The Poshan Innovation Platform (PIP), introduced by the India Nutrition Collaborative, marks a significant milestone as India's inaugural collaborative incubator dedicated to fostering innovations in maternal and child health.

This initiative, unveiled during the Bengaluru Design Week in partnership with the office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Central government, aims to enhance nutritional well-being by providing support for seed funding and investment opportunities to scale innovations.

During the launch event, it was observed that prevailing innovations tended to be technology-centric and primarily targeted urban areas, often neglecting accessibility challenges at the grassroots level.

To address this gap, the platform concentrates on diminishing levels of stunting and wasting in young children, along with combating anaemia in women of reproductive age.

It solicits innovations in key areas such as gender equity, digital equity, market equity, and the promotion of nutrition-seeking behavior.

Dr. Sapna Poti, Director of Strategic Alliances at the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, emphasized the alarming state of nutrition in India, characterizing it as 'pretty bad.'

This concern is underscored by India's ranking of 101 out of 116 in the Global Hunger Index 2023. Notably, the impact extends beyond individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds to include those from affluent backgrounds.

Therefore, the scope of innovations should encompass not only nutrition-specific interventions, but also address all contributing factors.