India is adapting the process of using mobile phones to address the
problems of maternal and child deaths, which has the highest rates in
the world. This campaign will incorporate the use of voice messages in
mobile phones to distribute advice on health to mothers and pregnant
woman. This project is termed as “Kilkari”, or “Baby’s Gurgle”, and it
will include voice messages dedicated to the individual stages for both
pregnancy and age of the newborn.
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There
are still places in India which are quite remote and services to those
parts of the country are not of optimum quality. When it comes to the
matter of health, these areas lack good public hospitals and other
medical centers. On the other hand India ranks the second largest in the
mobile network services. In India there are around 950 million
connections, which means, mobile phones have penetrated to the majority
of the mass.
Hence the advantages of mobile phones are, they can access places where other health workers may not. “It’s a huge opportunity for us,” says Manoj Jhalani, health ministry official and supervisor of the project. This service will include advice on vitamin supplements and other necessary vaccinations. By August 15, this service will be launched in eight Hindi speaking states of the country. “These are the most cost-effective health interventions,” says Jhalani.
Public hospitals and medical clinics are either in ruins or they have more patients waiting than they can admit. Hence there were instances when women had no choice than deliver their babies at home, with unhygienic water and absence of proper toilets.
But when this campaign was first set on trial by the government in Bihar, it received positive response. It’s been 18 months since then and around 100,000 rural families have already signed up for the voice messaging service of the mobiles phones. Mobile phones are also a cost-effective way to distribute basic health tips.
“This (mobile services) will have a very marginal effect,” says Dileep Mavalankar, director of the Indian Institute of Public Health, in the western state of Gujarat. But the healthcare system should also be developed in remote areas, he added.
Click image to view larger image
Hence the advantages of mobile phones are, they can access places where other health workers may not. “It’s a huge opportunity for us,” says Manoj Jhalani, health ministry official and supervisor of the project. This service will include advice on vitamin supplements and other necessary vaccinations. By August 15, this service will be launched in eight Hindi speaking states of the country. “These are the most cost-effective health interventions,” says Jhalani.
Using mobile phones will prove to be beneficial
In the year 2013, maternal deaths were recorded to be 50,000. Around 1.3 million children below five years of age lost their lives due to poor hygienic problems, unavailability of medical services in urgency, poverty and all. Even diseases like pneumonia and malnutrition, which are treatable in the city, caused many mothers and infants to die.Public hospitals and medical clinics are either in ruins or they have more patients waiting than they can admit. Hence there were instances when women had no choice than deliver their babies at home, with unhygienic water and absence of proper toilets.
But when this campaign was first set on trial by the government in Bihar, it received positive response. It’s been 18 months since then and around 100,000 rural families have already signed up for the voice messaging service of the mobiles phones. Mobile phones are also a cost-effective way to distribute basic health tips.
“This (mobile services) will have a very marginal effect,” says Dileep Mavalankar, director of the Indian Institute of Public Health, in the western state of Gujarat. But the healthcare system should also be developed in remote areas, he added.
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