Easy to use hand held machine for diabetes management honored with Anjani Mashelkar Award

Pune, November 17, 2018:Glucometer is the widely used device for knowing current value of blood sugar level. But a young Indian scientist has developed a unique hand-held meter that uses simple test strips to give a spectrum of blood sugar levels for last three months. This easy, fast and cost-effective innovation is today honored with ‘Anjani Mashelkar Inclusive Innovation Award’.

Dr. Kumar was felicitated at the hands of food and civil supplies minister Girish Bapat at ‘ 6th National Conference on Social Innovation’. The event wasorganized by ‘Pune International Centre’ (PIC)) in association with Tata Institute for SocialSciences (TISS) and National Innovation Foundation (NIF).Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar, President, PIC, Dr. Vijay Kelkar, Vice President, PIC, Jayant Umranikar, Chairman, ‘International Longevity Centre-India’ (ILC-I), Anjali Raje, Executive Director, ILC-I, Prashant Girbane, Honorary Director, PIC were present among the dignitaries. The conference recognized work of 18 urban, rural and tribal innovators.

The name ofaward-winning innovation is ‘Anupath’- Next generation point of care bio sensing for diabetes management, kidney failure, anemia and malnutrition. It can be used for doing 5 blood tests and 3 urine tests.

Dr. Kumar said, ‘‘Glucometer gives you the current blood glucose level. But from that test you cannot tell how that person’s diabetes control was in the earlier weeks or months. Sometimes patients tend to cheat the blood glucose level by managing healthy routine in the week when the test is to be done. Our machine can tell about the blood glucose control of that person for last 2 weeks and even for last 3 months.This is not available in such a hand-held device in the entire world if we see the competitors.The machine can give test results in 50 seconds to 90 seconds depending on the test and the device can also store up to 1 lac reports. An HbA1c test can be done on this machine in 90 to 100 Rs. ’’

Mashelkar mentioned that our country has great innovators. Trusting them and investing in their work will make a great difference. Bapat said that people doing such good work must be encouraged.