In the world of healthcare innovation, conversations often move toward cutting-edge artificial intelligence, premium wearables and futuristic diagnostics technologies that promise convenience for those who already have access to it. But the true measure of innovation lies elsewhere. It lies in whether technology can reach the most vulnerable community.

This is what makes the Dettol Banega Swasth India – Maternal and Child Health Tech Accelerator, in partnership with PATH–Centre for Health Research and Innovation (CHRI), so important.

As the program concluded this month, it has sent a powerful message about the future of healthtech in India. A future where innovation is advanced, accessible and purposeful rather than being just profitable.

Why the First 1,000 Days Matter

From conception to a child’s second birthday are recognized as the most critical period for physical growth, brain development, immunity and long-term health outcomes. In India, however, this period of time is also where we lose the most.

Despite improvements in healthcare infrastructure, maternal mortality rates remain high in rural regions. Premature births, low birth weight, lack of early developmental stimulation and limited access to trained healthcare professionals continue to threaten lives often silently and invisibly.

Children who could have lived healthy lives never get the chance. And this is exactly where meaningful innovations must step in.

Dettol’s Mission to Save Lives

In Indian households, Dettol has long been associated with hygiene and disease prevention. Over the years, the brand has expanded its mission from fighting germs to a much broader vision of public health through its Banega Swasth India initiative. Instead of focusing solely on products, the program invests in solutions that can bring systemic change in maternal and child healthcare.

By partnering with PATH-CHRI, an organization globally respected for its work in health innovation and implementation, the Maternal and Child Health Tech Accelerator ensured that innovation was grounded in technology, evidence and real-world impact.

What stands out most about the accelerator’s winning innovations is their clarity of purpose.

1. A Low-Cost Baby Warmer

Hypothermia is one of the under-recognized conditions among premature and low birth-weight babies. The winning low-cost baby warmer addresses this gap to keep newborns safe in rural clinics. It is designed to be affordable, easy to use and suitable for low-resource settings. This warmer ensures that newborns receive consistent warmth during their most vulnerable hours. It does not rely on complex infrastructure and thus it is a life-saving solution for rural clinics where conventional neonatal care equipment is simply not possible.

2. Neuroscience-Based Early Childhood Tools

Survival is only the first step. For children to grow, early cognitive and emotional development is just as critical as their physical health. One of the innovations from the accelerator focuses on neuroscience-based early childhood development tools. These tools are designed to stimulate brain development and to identify if there are any early signs of developmental delays. In many underserved communities, developmental delays go unnoticed until it is too late to treat it effectively. By integrating neuroscience with accessible technology, this innovation empowers not only parents but also the caregivers and health workers to act early when interventions are most effective and outcomes are most transformative.

3. Empowering Frontline Health Workers

India’s healthcare system depends heavily on community health volunteers who serve as the first and often only point of contact for maternal and child healthcare in remote areas. Yet these workers are frequently overburdened, under-supported and disconnected from the formal healthcare systems. Here, this innovation focuses on technology that equips and empowers frontline health workers. By providing digital tools for tracking maternal and child health records, facilitating timely referrals and improving decision making which is data -driven, this solution strengthens the backbone of rural healthcare delivery. Most importantly, it recognizes that technology alone is not enough and true impact comes from enabling the people already doing the work on the ground.

Redefining What Innovation Means in India

What unites these three solutions is a shared philosophy that innovation does not always mean cutting-edge technology, it means fitting the context. Sometimes, it just needs purpose, clarity and heart.

What we need is not just glamorous AI models or wearables, that is, the future of healthtech will not be defined by what we build for the privileged few but tech that works where infrastructure does not and how effectively we serve the vulnerable many. This kind of innovation prioritizes:

• Affordability over aesthetics
• Accessibility over exclusivity
• Impact over hype

And that is exactly what India needs. Looking ahead, as India continues its journey toward becoming a global leader in technology and innovation, initiatives like this remind us that progress is now measured by equity.

The Dettol Banega Swasth India – Maternal and Child Health Tech Accelerator stands as an inspiring example of what happens when innovation is guided by empathy and grounded in reality. If the future of healthtech is to be truly transformative, it must be built not just in labs but in villages, clinics and communities where the need is greatest.

What are your thoughts on this development?