ISB & CII Launch IDEAS Framework to Advance Gender-Inclusive Digital Health in India

The framework provides practical strategies to bridge gender care gaps by embedding inclusivity into the design, deployment, and governance of healthcare systems.

The Max Institute of Healthcare Management (MIHM) at the Indian School of Business (ISB), in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Women’s Collective Forum, and the Gates Foundation, has unveiled the IDEAS framework—Innovation, Digitalization, Equity, Accessibility, and Security, to promote inclusive digital health in India.

The framework provides practical strategies to bridge gender care gaps by embedding inclusivity into the design, deployment, and governance of healthcare systems.

Developed through the whitepaper titled “New Ideas and Innovations for Women’s Health in India,” the IDEAS framework serves as a roadmap for policymakers, innovators, and healthcare leaders.

It aims to integrate gender inclusivity within India’s expanding digital health ecosystem and ensure women’s needs are addressed through every stage of innovation.

The framework’s five pillars emphasize actionable principles: Innovation encourages practical, co-created solutions with women users “under a mango tree”; Digitalization focuses on interoperability and data-driven governance; Equity calls for affordable, culturally attuned digital solutions; Accessibility promotes public-private partnerships and human-centric design; and Security underlines the importance of trust and strong regulatory systems.

The whitepaper combines data analysis, policy review, and stakeholder consultations to trace women’s health trends across life stages. It also maps barriers to healthcare access through the 5As - Awareness, Accessibility, Affordability, Acceptance, and Accountability, while identifying scalable AI and digital innovations that could address these challenges.

Despite progress in maternal health and life expectancy, the report highlights persistent inequalities due to literacy gaps, limited financial autonomy, and the digital gender divide.

It notes that technology and AI can narrow these disparities only when systems are designed with fairness and representation at their core.

Dr. Naresh Trehan, Chairman of the CII Steering Group on Health and CII Healthcare Council, and Chairman and Managing Director, Medanta – Medicity, said, “The IDEAS framework—centered on Innovation, Digitalization, Equity, Accessibility, and Security—offers a pragmatic and actionable blueprint for policymakers, healthcare providers, and industry leaders to ensure equitable healthcare access for all, including women. Women’s health is not a marginal issue; it is fundamental to India’s demographic dividend and the strength of its families, communities, and economy.”

The whitepaper urges policymakers, innovators, and healthcare stakeholders to work collaboratively to remove systemic barriers and shape a future where every woman in India can access dignified, inclusive, and technology-enabled healthcare.

The comprehensive research, led by experts from ISB and CII, provides an evidence-based tool that can guide real-world policy and innovation in women’s health.

The research team included Dr. Deepshikha Batheja, Professor Sarang Deo, Dr. Navsangeet Saini, and Subhiksha from ISB-MIHM, along with Dr. Priyanka Singh from CII.

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