IIM Ahmedabad, Novo Nordisk India sign MoU to address obesity and strengthen healthcare systems
Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, the blockbuster weight loss drug, debuts in India
Under the agreement, the two institutions will co-develop programmes across three key areas — health system capacity building, policy advocacy, and health economics. The collaboration will involve the development of model frameworks for obesity clinics, creation of educational content for healthcare professionals and stakeholders, and formulation of data-backed public health policies.
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Additionally, the initiative will include research projects that study the economic impact of obesity on individual health, workforce productivity, and the broader healthcare system and economy.
The partnership outlines plans for joint research activities, including publication of papers in collaboration with government bodies, conducting pilot outreach programmes, and evaluating the role of telemedicine in managing NCDs in underserved areas. These initiatives aim to generate actionable insights to support both policy-level changes and improvements in healthcare delivery.
In its statement, the institute said that the IIMA Endowment Fund (IIMAEF), which facilitates partnerships and philanthropic engagement, played a key role in shaping this collaboration. The fund supports initiatives that align with the institute's objective of using academic and research capabilities to address societal challenges, including public health.
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By integrating educational, corporate, and research resources, the partnership aims to contribute towards developing scalable healthcare models for NCD management, with obesity as a central focus. The effort is intended to support long-term improvements in health outcomes and policy-making in India.
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