After spending 20 days on ground and while supporting some of the major initiatives in India, I realized that 25% of the total Income generated in India is in the hands of mere 100 rich families. This huge gap is increasing day by day. After independence, the valley has only widened up between the rich and the poor and the growth that we envisage is still miles away from the hands of a common man.
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In villages, healthcare in India still starts from security, clean drinking water, better sanitation facilities and good roads. Then comes the demand for basic access to healthcare. ...
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There is 1 doctor per 1000 people, but 1 NGO per 400 people in India. As per 2011 stats (World Bank), the % of GDP contributed to healthcare in India is 4.2. We are laggards when compared to countries like Afghanistan (7.8%), Yemen Rep.(5.2%), Uganda (9%), Nepal (5.5%). There is one NGO for less than 400 Indians, and many times the number of primary schools and primary health centers in India. My intention here is not to blame the Government here but to help understand the ground realities better.
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The question hence is, Can mHealth bring down healthcare costs? Is it a far-flung reality for the common man or feasible??The answer is YES. Here is one such case study that will help us understand the revolution mHealth can bring to India's otherwise waning healthcare system.
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E-HealthPoint combines water and wireless to provide healthcare in rural India- E Health Points (EHP) are units owned and operated by Healthpoint Services India (HSI) that provides families in rural villages with clean drinking water, medicines, comprehensive diagnostic tools, and advanced tele-medical services that bring a doctor and modern, evidence-based healthcare to their community.?
They provided 4 basic things:1. Rural broadband
2. Good telemedical software
3. Modern point-of-care diagnostics mobile diagnostics
4.? Cheap water treatment
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This is a for-profit social enterprise. They pay their doctors about 30,000 INR per month.? They pay their village health workers as well.? They pay their unit staff that they hire and train from the village.? They also re-cover those costs with patient fees.That's what's amazing - that they were able to do a reasonably good service, in an area where there wasn't any, and make enough to cover their costs.? That's what's revolutionary - that it's sustainable.
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Editor's note: Watch this eHealthPoint video for more information:?
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To be continued..Ideas welcome..
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References: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.TOTL.ZS
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/first-official-estimate-an-ngo-for-every-400-people-in-india/643302/1
http://www.telecomtv.com/comspace_newsDetail.aspx?n=49444&id=e9381817-0593-417a-8639-c4c53e2a2a10
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To read other posts in this exclusive ongoing series, please visit the Mobile Health Around the Globe main page. And if you have a Mobile Health Around the Globe story to tell, please post a comment below or email me at joan@socialmediatoday.com? Thanks!?
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Authored by:
Ruchi Dass
Dr. Ruchi Dass has been involved in specific Healthcare IT, e-learning and ICT projects for the public/private sector in India. During this period, she has managed several projects and programs and has in particular worked, as an author, market researcher and Business strategist on a large variety of projects and reports related to the deployment of ICT systems in India, including evaluation ...See complete profile
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