Through this initiative, TiE Delhi-NCR and Prayatna are aiming to find solutions that specifically address gaps in surveillance, location spotting, and forecasting of malaria outbreaks. To identify startups that can address these gaps, the hackfest aims to invite leading tech schools in the country, including IITs, NITs, and IIITs. A maximum award of INR 5 lakhs will be given to the winner.
According to Pratik Kumar, President of Prayatna, the primary goal of the collaboration is to harness the power of technology & collective intelligence to develop innovative solutions that contribute to the global fight against Malaria. “The event would focus on fostering creativity, collaboration & out of the box thinking to address the key challenges in malaria prevention, diagnosis & treatment,” he said.
Ravi Bhatnagar, Director of External Affairs and Partnerships at SOA, Reckitt, emphasised the importance of technology-enabled innovations in tackling malaria outbreaks in India, due to factors like antibiotic resistance, climate change, and vector characteristics. “With the help of the nation’s skilled youth from top technical schools, this programme seeks to develop scalable solutions to bridge the gaps of curtailing malaria and improve the overall health of the nation,” Bhatnagar said.
Malaria is a public health problem in several parts of the country. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that India has 15 million cases of malaria with 19,500–20,000 deaths annually. According to government data, about 95% population in the country lives in malaria-endemic areas and 80% of malaria reported in the country is confined to areas comprising 20% of the population living in tribal, hilly, difficult and inaccessible areas.
The major areas of concern for malaria in India that require improvement through IT-enabled innovation include real-time surveillance systems, forecasting increased mosquito infestations and malaria outbreaks, and gradient heat mapping of hotspot areas. Experts say these improvements would provide data-driven decisions for policymakers, healthcare workers, and program implementers, considering factors such as climate change, extreme temperatures, rainfall, flora and fauna. Geetika Dayal, ED, TiE Delhi-NCR, said that the program is focused on inviting pathbreaking startups, which through their IT-enabled innovation can help alleviate the issue of malaria outbreaks. TiE Delhi- NCR has played a pivotal role in providing a platform for entrepreneurs & startups to showcase their innovations. We are glad to partner with Reckitt on this unique initiative, which can be a game changer in the fight against diseases caused by mosquitoes not only in India but internationally. “The IndUS Entrepreneurs (TiE) is a non-profit organization with a mission to foster entrepreneurship through mentoring, networking, education, funding and incubation. It is spread across a network of 61 Chapters in 14 countries.
