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My personal tryst with diabetes led to innovation of affordable pathology device, says Vinay Kumar
An innovative pathology device that can conduct six medical tests on one blood sample at a fraction of commercial rates, received the ‘Anjali Mashelkar Inclusive Innovation Award’ instituted by the Pune international centre
Dr Vinay Kumar is the chief executive officer (CEO) and Director of Path shodh health care private limited and the recipient of the ‘Anjali Mashelkar Inclusive Innovation Award’
What inspired you to invent the multi-analyte device?
All the predicaments that I had to go through in my life since the time when I was 14 years of age inspired me to invent the multi-analyte device. I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 14. We lived in a small village in Uttar Pradesh where there were no technological advancements. Doctors had told my family that this diabetes would not be cured and will stay forever. Since then I have taken 30,000 injections, 20,000 pathological tests and have suffered diabetes coma till now. All this could have been prevented with affordable medicine and technology of early detection of the illness.
Ever since then I wanted to create an affordable technology that could be used in rural sectors. My basic inspiration was my predicaments as I wanted to create some technology for the people of my nation so that others do not face the burns for lack of affordable technology.
Are you satisfied with the response to the device from rural areas?
I am overwhelmed by the response that we have received for the multi-analyte device. The very basic intention behind the innovation was to make it accessible to maximum people in rural areas where all those who are in need and cannot afford costlier technology can use the device.
I am glad many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have come forward and are using the device. Major corporate houses are showing interest in this device as they want to invest in this through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) and want to distribute these devices in the villages. We will make our device available for the foreign markets as well.
What are the new innovations you are currently working on?
Currently, we are working on creating a device which would detect cardiac arrest before the final attack. An individual will have to conduct a blood test when he/she is facing chest pain. If the blood test is conducted at that moment, the device will stipulate that there are possibilities of cardiac arrest and thus could avoid major problems ahead. With the gradual progression in research, we will further explore the possibilities in this new device for cardiac arrest.
