KARUN KAUSHIK
UNITED STATES, 16
Project: X-Check-MD and DemocratizeHealth™
Basic Human Needs: Health, Safety
In early 2020, Karun almost lost his mother due to a delayed treatment for pneumonia after an inaccurate diagnosis. This experience put Karun face-to-face with the grim reality of pneumonia – a global killer that targets the underprivileged, with 90% of deaths occurring in the poorest regions of the world. Impoverished hospitals experience long delays due to massive patient volume, resource constraints and understaffing. These issues result in misdiagnoses, increased medical expenses, long-term repercussions and fatalities. In March 2020, Karun launched DemocratizeHealth – an initiative to empower healthcare workers and democratize healthcare in underprivileged regions with fast, affordable, accurate and accessible AI-based solutions for illnesses. X-Check-MD, Karun’s innovative method to diagnose COVID-19 and pneumonia, costs ~$2.75 USD per scan in India, and makes a 99% accurate diagnosis in under a minute. DemocratizeHealth also educates impoverished communities about environmental risk factors, preventative measures and treatment options. DemocratizeHealth has already impacted 3,000+ people in India and has the potential to save the lives of 800,000 children worldwide who die from pneumonia each year. Karun received the first-place award in the Biological Science and Engineering Category from Synopsys Silicon Valley Science and Technology Championship and a Certificate of Achievement and Letter of Congratulations from the United States Navy and Marine Corps for his groundbreaking research. In 2021, Karun plans to expand global outreach and build diagnostic solutions for more diseases. Ultimately, Karun wants to ensure that no one’s health is left behind, regardless of their geography or socioeconomic status.