IFC, WellDoc, and Max Healthcare Launch an Innovative App in India to Improve Diabetes Care

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group; WellDoc, a US-based digital health startup; and Max Healthcare, a leading Indian healthcare provider, today launched a cutting-edge mobile application in India to improve diabetes care, amid predictions from the International Diabetes Foundation that the disease could affect 123 million Indian citizens by 2040. The app will initially be piloted with a select group of patients in New Delhi, which allows them to transform their smartphone, tablet or personal computer into a personal health advisor.

WellDoc’s BlueStar® application is a mobile health monitoring tool that helps adults living with type 2 diabetes and their doctors drive behavioral and clinical change. The app analyzes diabetes data entered by the patient, including blood glucose levels and medications, and delivers curated analytics to a patient’s healthcare team to improve decisions and better manage the disease. The app will be tailored to the Indian market to account for specific medications and local diets, allowing patients to enter details of their meals and receive instant advice on the optimal medication and dosage.

Through its TechEmerge program, IFC provided funding and support, and served as a matchmaker, bringing together WellDoc and Max Healthcare in this powerful partnership.

“IFC’s TechEmerge program works in emerging markets to match innovative firms with local partners, creating not only economic benefits, but also the potential for enormous social and development impact,” said IFC Head of Strategic Business Advisory Solutions, Selcuk Tanatar.

Statistics from the International Diabetes Federation show that treatment for diabetes complications costs more than $670 billion dollars a year globally, and that the disease claims the lives of five million people worldwide each year.

“Being part of IFC’s TechEmerge program is truly validating,” said WellDoc’s Chief Strategy Officer Anand K. Iyer, “especially in markets such as India, where there is a high and growing prevalence of diabetes and increased use of smart phones.”

The diabetes care app is one of 17 cutting-edge technologies to be piloted in India, following a TechEmerge matchmaking event in New Delhi last June. IFC is providing one million dollars to support these groundbreaking health initiatives.

“Max healthcare is focused on changing the healthcare delivery to better serve patients with chronic ailments. Diabetes, with its high prevalence and growing incidence, is a crucial one to tackle. We are committed to providing comprehensive care to our patients and this is another step towards it.” said Max Healthcare’s Chief Growth Officer, Rohit Kapoor.  “We are looking forward to this pilot that TechEmerge has helped us identify and to working with WellDoc to better manage Type 2 diabetes”.

IFC’s TechEmerge program is being implemented in partnership with the Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy, and the Israeli Ministry of Economy and Industry, and is supported by Health 2.0.