Dr. Jitendra Singh Highlights Indigenous Innovation to Reduce Neonatal Mortality and Improve Maternal Health
In a major push toward improving maternal and child healthcare, Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced that India’s largest pregnancy cohort study involving 12,000 women under the GARBH-INi initiative aims to develop indigenous, AI-driven solutions to address preterm births—one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality and long-term health complications.
Speaking at the “Disseminating Learnings and Outcomes of GARBH-INi” programme held at India Habitat Centre, the minister emphasized the importance of science-backed interventions tailored to Indian conditions.
One of South Asia’s Largest Pregnancy Cohorts
The GARBH-INi (Interdisciplinary Group for Advanced Research on Birth Outcomes) initiative, led by the Department of Biotechnology, has successfully enrolled around 12,000 pregnant women, creating one of the largest pregnancy cohorts in South Asia.
The programme has also built a massive research repository, including over 1.6 million biospecimens and more than one million ultrasound images. This data is being used to develop advanced predictive models and diagnostic tools.
AI, Biomarkers and Data Science at the Core
Highlighting the scientific approach, Singh said the initiative integrates clinical epidemiology, multi-omics biomarkers, and artificial intelligence to enable personalised predictions for pregnancy outcomes.
Key outcomes from the programme include:
- AI-based pregnancy dating models tailored for Indian populations
- Identification of microbiome-based predictors for preterm birth
- Development of rapid diagnostic tools
- Discovery of genetic markers for early risk assessment
These indigenous solutions are expected to significantly improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes across the country.
National Biorepository and Data-Sharing Platform Launched
The minister also released a compendium documenting the programme’s achievements and announced the establishment of a national biorepository along with the GARBH-INi-DRISHTI data-sharing platform. These initiatives will enable broader access for researchers and support global scientific collaborations.
The event was attended by key dignitaries including Rajesh S. Gokhale, V. K. Paul, and Ganesan Karthikeyan, along with leading scientists and stakeholders.
Industry Partnerships to Accelerate Innovation
Several partnerships and technology transfer agreements were formalised during the event. These include collaborations with Sundyota Numandis Probioceuticals Pvt. Ltd., DOTO Health Private Limited, and Qure.ai Technologies Private Limited for developing AI-enabled ultrasound reporting systems and risk assessment platforms under the GARBH-INi-AnandiMaa initiative.
Maternal Health Key to India’s 2047 Vision
Emphasising long-term national impact, Singh stated that maternal and child health is central to India’s growth trajectory, noting that today’s newborns will shape the country’s productivity and strength by 2047.
He also highlighted India’s bioeconomy growth—from nearly $10 billion in 2014 to about $195 billion—crediting biotechnology as a major driver and positioning India as a global leader in preventive and primary healthcare.
Call for Continued Research and Collaboration
V. K. Paul stressed the need to focus on effectively utilising the tools and predictive models developed under the programme, calling for deeper analysis, stronger collaborations, and sustained scientific efforts.
Concluding the event, Singh reiterated that initiatives like GARBH-INi represent a crucial step toward building a healthier population and achieving the vision of a developed India by 2047.
