Platform will test solutions based on community needs and strengthen coordination among government, healthcare providers, innovators and development partners
Mumbai, October 2026: A state-level ‘Living Lab’ for health innovation and quality improvement is being developed in Maharashtra to support the state’s goal of providing healthcare for all. The initiative has been launched based on the concept of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The initiative will focus on improving the quality of healthcare facilities and compliance with quality standards, while also creating opportunities for skill development and employment for citizens across the state.
The platform aims to identify local healthcare priorities, develop purpose-oriented solutions in collaboration with communities and test new approaches within the actual healthcare system.
Through the Living Lab, Fadnavis has sought to bring together the experience and capabilities of the government, healthcare providers, private sector, academic institutions, innovators and development partners on a common platform. The objective is to strengthen the existing healthcare system and treatment pathways through collaborative efforts.
The initiative will also utilise the potential of innovation and technology, including artificial intelligence, digital health, data and precision health, to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes.
Linking Private Healthcare With Public Health Priorities
An important opportunity under the initiative is to connect the reach and capabilities of the private healthcare sector with public health priorities.
With the participation of different stakeholders, practical, affordable and accessible solutions addressing local healthcare needs can be developed. The initiative will also assess the potential for expanding successful solutions across Maharashtra and in other locations.
In subsequent phases, the programme will explore opportunities for local skill development, employment and enterprise creation linked to the healthcare needs of communities.
The initiative will focus not merely on introducing new technology but on ensuring that innovation reaches every citizen, including people living in remote areas and communities that have limited access to healthcare.
Through the participation of the government, communities, innovators and partners, the Living Lab will facilitate the testing of effective solutions, rapid analysis of the experience gained and wider adoption of approaches that can improve the quality and equity of healthcare services.
Platform for Evidence and Collaboration
The Living Lab will be developed as a platform for evidence generation and collaboration. Community needs and local ownership will remain at the centre of the process, while coordination among innovators, the healthcare system and frontline service providers will be strengthened.
The approach seeks to create a mechanism through which innovative ideas can be tested in real-world settings and successful interventions can subsequently be expanded on a wider scale.
‘Manyata’ Initiative as an Initial Example
The ‘Manyata’ initiative of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) is an initial example of this approach.
The initiative complements the government’s efforts to strengthen maternal healthcare and demonstrates how a quality-improvement model from the private sector can work alongside the public healthcare system.
The MSD for Mothers initiative is coordinating the programme and bringing together a group of different partners to develop the collaborative model.
The partnership-based approach will focus on converting innovations into practical and sustainable solutions while strengthening the healthcare system.
The state-level Living Lab is therefore envisioned as a common platform where community needs, healthcare priorities, innovation, technology and stakeholder capabilities can come together to develop solutions that can improve healthcare quality and accessibility across Maharashtra.
