India carries 28% of the world’s TB burden and yet, millions with symptoms go undiagnosed and untreated. While testing is free in the public health system and treatment adherence is strong (~89%), early detection remains the weakest link – fueling ongoing transmission, worsening outcomes, and stalling progress. Initiatives like the 100-day campaign and active case finding show intent, but diagnosis still lags, especially in low-resource, peripheral areas. Existing screening tools such as microscopy are often unreliable, inaccessible, or unfit for scale, and frontline workers are overstretched. With the government bearing testing costs, the need for smarter, cost-effective screening solutions has never been more urgent.

This has sparked demand for low-cost, open, and interoperable systems that can leverage the diagnostic infrastructure developed during COVID, to decentralize screening and point of care testing solutions that can fuel last mile, decentralized testing in low resource settings, without driving up costs.

Founded by Dr. Rachana Tripathi and Dr. Shesheer Kumar, seasoned molecular biologists with deep expertise in affordable RT-PCR and POC diagnostics, Huwel is a next-gen molecular diagnostics company deploying a dual-platform strategy to make TB detection faster, easier, and accessible at the last mile. With over two decades of combined experience and a track record of building indigenous diagnostic solutions, the founders are spearheading efforts to bridge the gap between lab-grade accuracy and field-ready accessibility. Huwel’s approach aims to strengthen early case detection, reduce diagnostic delays, and support India’s goal of TB elimination by 2025.

QuantiPlus is Huwel’s ICMR-validated, extraction-free molecular test that runs on any RT-PCR device and delivers rapid, sample-agnostic results. UniAmp is the portable, fully integrated device built for point-of-care use that detects TB from any sample without lab dependency. Together, the two allow TB to be tested for and identified within an hour. Both the solutions have been validated by ICMR and recommended for national use by the Central TB Division. With a proven track record in infectious disease diagnostics like HCV and COVID-19, Huwel brings deep molecular biology expertise and products designed to scale across both public health programs and decentralized field settings. 

ACT’s grant to Huwel will support a pilot across four high-burden states – Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, and Uttarakhand – to evaluate the feasibility of decentralized TB screening in real-world public health settings. This effort brings together Huwel’s diagnostic innovation with CHRI’s field implementation expertise and strong government partnerships. The grant will enable comprehensive training and handholding for ASHAs, PHC staff, and other frontline workers to integrate the solution into daily workflows. CHRI will lead field operations, ensure quality delivery, track outcomes, and liaise with state and district health systems. With per-test costs up to 80–90% lower than existing solutions, this pilot has the potential to dramatically improve affordability for low-income states, expand TB screening reach, and build the case for integrating decentralized tools into the National TB Elimination Programme.

ACT For Health is proud to back Huwel’s high-impact innovation and support this collaboration with CHRI and the pilot states – combining scientific innovation with implementation excellence to strengthen India’s TB response where it’s needed most!