PHIC 2021, a national event on Public Health Innovations Conclave held 

Hyderabad, November 14, 2021: Doctor of the future in digital health care ere will be a counsellor said Dr Ambuja Chaturvedi, Sr. VP, IKP Knowledge Park, while addressing a gathering at PHIC 2021, a national event on Public Health Innovations Conclave on Sunday at Hitex. 
 
The focus of the last day of the PHIC was Digital Health. Various technical talks and panel discussions were held around that subject. Pitches by start-ups were also held. 
 
The future role of doctors in digital is going to be something similar to autopilot in the airline industry. Autopilot software that manages the aircraft under certain conditions still needs a pilot to monitor. It will be a similar role for the doctors too in future, said Dr Ambuja Chaturvedi. 
 
Starting from 1987 when the first TeleHealth Consultation, a remote provision of specific health service began, it paved the way for a new era and it is now blown into a very big specialisation “Digital Health Care”, he said. 
 
Technology, computers, software, hardware, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and robots are replacing people and processes too in ways that would have sounded like fanciful science fiction a few years ago, he added 
 
Digital technology and data will be driving change that will create a different world of medicine. Hence there is a need that digital healthcare must be included in the MBBS course curriculum. 
 
In conclusion, quoting Thomas A. Edison Dr Ambuja said “the doctor of the future will give no medication but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease”
 
His talk was followed by a panel discussion on the Role of Incubators in accelerating innovations in digital health. The panel discussion was moderated by Ms Deepthi Ravula, CEO, We-Hub. The Panelists deciphered Digital Health for the understanding of the audience. 
 
Dr Jha of IIT Hyderabad one of the Panelists said the health in digital health care shifts from hospital-centric to personal centric. Deepthi added that in digital health care, you are the boss of your own health. 
 
Deepthi Ravula facilitated K. Madhurima, a student innovator who showcased her innovation 
 
In a specially made exclusive innovators corridor at PHIC. The 9th class student K. Madhurima who came from Zilla Parishad High School from Chandanapur in Ramgiri Mandal in Peddapalli District, a daughter of an agricultural labour couple showcased her innovation. She developed an Anti-Pandemic Air Sterilisation Machine by spending about Rs 1000/-. This prevents the spread of the coronavirus, she says. The made in Village Product purifies the air and also purifies the air around. This is very useful especially in villages as this can be made very reasonably, she said.   
 
Speaking about digital healthcare technologies and shaping up the economy Mr Sharad Sharma, Co-founder of iSPIRT Foundation said everybody was sceptical about Unified Payments Interface (UPI) an instant real-time payment system payment when it was rolled out in 2020. But we have overtaken China. Master card is growing at 8% per annum in digital payment whereas our UPI is growing 8% a month. The story of UPI is also a testament to the success of Digital India, especially after the demonetisation of 2016, he said. 
 
India tops in digital payments in the world in terms of real-time payment transactions and China is way behind us, he stated. 
 
Participating in a panel discussion on the Synergetic approach in Indian Digital Health Care, Dr Burri Ranga Reddy raised the One Health Concept. We must move towards the One Health concept. And that is not possible without embracing Digital Health Care systems, he added. 
 
He spoke about the collaborative efforts of multiple disciplines to attain optimal health for people, animals and our environment. 
 
The Indian MedTech innovation ecosystem is fast evolving and vibrant with academic research, venture capital firms, government funding and promising start-ups developing products specifically for the Indian market. 
 
Many med-tech start-ups, innovators ageing 14years to 65 years, boys and girls, men and women who were showcasing their inventions were given an opportunity to pitch about their product/s or service/s to 200 plus audience comprised of investors, incubators, accelerators, academia, researchers, peer innovators and other professionals. 25 startups pitched about themselves and sought the attention of the investors.
 
Their inventions include mental wellness platform; to NeoWarm, an instant warm blanket for supporting Hypothermic preemies; to a disruptive cardiac innovation called Defibrillator, the world’s first battery-less dual powered (Hand-Cranked and Grid) Defibrillator and many others.  In July 2016 in one of the government hospitals in Hyderabad, 16 people died because Defibrillator didn’t work because of a power shortage. This has triggered the innovation, said Ashish S. Gawade, Co-founder of the Pune based startup which introduced Jeevtronics Defibrillator. 
 
Ten startups/innovators in the MedTech space were picked up and recognised for their innovations and positive contribution to society. They picked up innovators from 3 different categories—01. early start-ups, 02. Traction stage and 03. Already in the market. These start-ups and innovators include 01. Eve Labs; 02. Janitri Technologies; 03. Salcit Technologies; 04. Aerobiosys Innovations; 05. Althon Tech; 06. Clear Calls; 07. Kardle Industries; 08. Axolotl Health and 09. Urvogel Bio. Special recognition was given to Turtle Sheel Technologies.