A new partnership to protect children, mothers, and vulnerable communities from an invisible public health threat.
PIF is proud to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Guwahati — a landmark step in our mission to address lead exposure across Northeast India.
This collaboration brings together AIIMS Guwahati’s clinical and academic strength with PIF’s commitment to building the scientific evidence base that drives policy, programs, and protection for those most at risk. We are deeply grateful to the leadership at AIIMS Guwahati for their partnership and trust, and to Dr. Indu Bhushan, President, i-LEAP, for championing this collaboration from the outset.
Why the Northeast, why now
India’s Northeast is a region of extraordinary biodiversity, ecological sensitivity, and distinctive public health needs. It is also a region where lead exposure — a slow, silent threat that affects brain development, pregnancy outcomes, and lifelong health — remains under-studied and under-addressed. With the right scientific foundations and partnerships, the Northeast can become a national example of how a One Health approach connects people, animals, and the environment to build resilient communities and sustainable health systems.
What we will do together
Through this MoU, PIF and AIIMS Guwahati will work jointly on:
- Research to map and understand sources of lead exposure across the region
- Innovation in screening, surveillance, and intervention
- Capacity building for clinicians, public health professionals, and frontline workers
- Evidence-driven impact to inform policy and protect those most vulnerable — particularly children, pregnant women, and underserved communities
The road ahead
Lead exposure is one of the most preventable yet most overlooked public health challenges of our time. Partnerships like this one give us the tools, the talent, and the trust to change that – for the Northeast, and for India.
We look forward to a long, meaningful, and impactful collaboration with AIIMS Guwahati.
