Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) has launched India’s first state-led Network of Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in healthcare, to be led by the University as the central hub. The initiative was launched by Hasan Mushrif, Minister of Medical Education for Maharashtra, in the presence of Dinesh Waghmare, Principal Secretary, Medical Education Department (MH), and other officials.

The Network of CoEs aims to improve medical research, education, and healthcare quality in the state through a collaborative approach. The CoE idea received a significant boost when the policy Network of Centers of Excellence Policy, 2023 was issued by the Govt. of Maharashtra, as a part of the loan programme by Asian Development Bank (ADB).

ADB team worked with Government of Maharashtra and MUHS team to refine concept of network of CoE. Beyond CoE, the ADB loan programme of $500 million is to develop healthcare infrastructure, boost digital medical education and healthcare, talent and performance management and procurement in Maharashtra.

This Network will operate as a hub and spoke model, with the newly launched Maharashtra State Health Training and Research Institute (MSHTRI), in MUHS, as the hub and apex Centre.

In the very first year of operations, MSHTRI will support digital learning for over 10,000 medical students in the state with 20 online learning modules, incubate over 20 startups and train over 400 faculty at faculty development academy, 1000 students at the simulation lab, and 400 students at the digital health centre. 

Digital Health Foundation Course (DHFC) has also been launched in collaboration with Koita Foundation. DHFC will be offered as apart of the curriculum to over 450 medical colleges and more than 40,000 medical students. With the introduction of DHFC, Maharashtra becomes the first state in India to introduce Digital Health as a formal course for medical students.