Wonder kit of healthcare

Swasthya Slate project is launched by PHFI and Government It is not often that one comes across an innovative technology in health care that has made basic diagnostic tests simple and affordable. The recently launched Swasthya Slate project by Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) and the Government could potentially become the device that has bridged the gap between doctors and patients in urban and rural areas. The diagnostic kit has enough promise to change the way basic diagnostics are carried out in the health centres in the State. At just Rs.85, the kit, which comes with an Android based Tablet, a small box dubbed as Swasthya Slate and other diagnostic equipment, enables to conduct tests for sugar, blood pressure, heart rate, haemoglobin levels, ECG, body temperature, urine protein levels and test water quality. The results are given on the spot within 10 to 15 minutes. Feature and usability wise, the Swasthya Slate is ticking all the right boxes. It can send the test results in the form of mails and alert patients personal doctor through an SMS. Interestingly, the kit is GPS enabled, which records the patients co-ordinates and throws up suggestions like the nearest doctor, clinic and hospital available in the locality of the patient. While private labs charge anywhere between Rs. 1,100 and Rs. 1,800 to take up all the tests and only releases the tests by evening, Swasthya Slate within minutes uploads patient data and results to a remote service via internet. The stored data is accessible only to patients and doctors in the Swasthya Slate portal and removes the practice of maintaining records on paper. In case of no internet, the patient database is stored within the Tablets internal memory. Swasthya Slate software also brings features like Decision Support System, capable of suggesting treatment modalities to specific ailments to the frontline health care worker. Specialist doctors are hard to find at primary health centres. The health care worker can access the decision support system and advice basic precautions to the patient before

contacting the specialist, says Team Leader, Affordable Health Technology, PHFI, Dr. Kanav Kahol. The Tablet software consists of clinical algorithms and customised health protocols written by PHFI developers. We developed the software and hardware in-house. That has helped keep the costs low, he adds. Keywords: Swasthya Slate project, Public Health Foundation of India, health centre

How urban India gives...

70% of donors says they prefer to donate directly to the beneficiary Livemint First Published: Thu, Jan 10 2013. 01 03 AM IST

Photo: Priyanka Parashar/Mint

Also Read
Updated: Thu, Jan 10 2013. 01 18 AM IST

Giving in Indias cities is widespread. But donating to charities is still not, according to a study by the Charities Aid Foundation, which measured philanthropic habits of nearly 9,000 urban Indians in 2011. Although 84% of those interviewed gave money to a good cause at least once in the previous year, only 27% of donors gave to a specific charity. Indias total donation to charitable organizations each year is relatively small at Rs.5,000 crore and 70% of donors said they prefer to donate directly to the beneficiary, suggesting a lingering mistrust of charitable institutions. Leading the list are religious institutions (seven out of 10 said giving was related to their faith). Indias various faiths have different giving patterns, the study found. And the four regions of India also give differently. The north leads in terms of popular giving (100% had made donations) but donors in the south were the most likely to give to charitable organizations, while people in the western region gave higher amounts. When it comes to giving, cash is still king, the report said, with 80% of givers donating cash. Just 7% of those in the highest earning category, of Rs.20,000 a month and over, used cheques and 1% gave online. Compiled by Cordelia Jenkins Clean Yamuna: a mission impossible?

SEZ escape The TimeOut Mint Planner, 03 January 2013 Governing urban India

Some crucial strides in healthcare delivery December 25, 2012, Hindu Business Line http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/some-crucial-strides-in-healthcaredelivery/article4235686.ece?ref=wl_opinion

After years of door-to-door visits and campaigns to protect the countrys children against polio, India started 2012 on the promising note of completing a polio-free year. But the cheer over effective polio management was soon over-shadowed by other health concerns, as totally-resistant tuberculosis got reported in the country. And as the year progressed, infectious diseases like dengue and malaria further took their toll on the health of the nation. Though much ground needs to still be covered in healthcare, 2012 did take some remarkable strides in putting on the drawing board plans for better healthcare delivery across the country universal healthcare coverage, programmes to provide free medicines and efforts to look after the urban poor. There were also high-profile announcements to increase Government spending on healthcare to about three per cent of GDP.
The momentum from some of these developments have slowed down since the announcement earlier this year, but the year ahead holds the promise of follow-through of these initiatives by the Government and healthcare workers.
PROMISES TO KEEP

It is a mixed bag, says Dr Amit Sengupta of the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, on the direction these health-oriented discussions would take in 2013. Concerns still abound on why the Governments spending on health, for instance, has not gone up to the promised 2-3 per cent of GDP. Or whether there will be more private participation in the universal health coverage that the Government promises? While these concerns are valid, Dr Srinath Reddy, President of Public Health Foundation of India, points out, that health has for the first time caught the attention of policy makers in the manner that it should. Healthcare has got greater traction in the 12th Plan. And though it may not be at the pace prohealth groups may want, it is a start, he says. The models to provide universal health coverage can be deliberated once the political will is there to bring it in.

The idea now is to ensure that public health infrastructure is not left behind in these programmes and that they are, instead, strengthened as healthcare delivery points, he observes.
NO TIME FOR NEGLECT

The incidents of malaria, dengue and other vector-borne diseases arise from weak public health infrastructure, he points out, adding this neglect of public health cannot continue. Which is why the Governments increased health spending holds much promise because an increased spend on water and nutrition will have a good effect on health too, he observes. Other developments that could have a positive bearing on health, are the slew of patent-related judgments where the Courts have been seen to be taking decisions keeping in mind the health of people in the country, observes Sengupta. But the countrys health regulatory infrastructure still needs much attention, as science and the pharmaceutical industry leap forward. A stinging Parliamentary standing committee report earlier this year had put the spotlight on what ails the Drug Controller General of Indias office. More than ever, the regulators office needs more resources and training to keep pace with changes in science. The regulatory environment notwithstanding, another interesting development, but in the private healthcare arena was the proliferation of smaller and niche healthcare networks, and online support for patients and consumers. But the huge shadow over the growing healthcare needs of the country are the shortages in trained medical professionals and support staff. In fact, a recent study by consultants Technopak Advisors said that the country had a healthcare crisis on its hands. The availability, in absolute terms, of hospital-beds, doctors and nurses already shows the country needs to increase its numbers, Technopak Chairman Arvind Singhal had then said, adding that even if the Government doubled the number of medical seats, it would take about nine years to have a complete doctor working in the system. The health landscape in the country is uneven, from the profile of the disease to that of the population. From lifestyle ailments like hypertension and diabetes to infectious diseases or cancer, to mention just a few, spread across the uber-rich and the very poor. This means, there is no more time left for discussions and policy-makers will have to march ahead with implementing healthcare initiatives started this year, and at a greater pace. The year 2013 will bear witness to whether administrators do rise to the occasion and keep the promises they have made to the people. jyothi.datta@thehindu.co.in

Bitter medicine
First Published: Sun, Dec 23 2012. 09 35 PM IST Govt expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure is far above the averagethats the crux of the fiscal problem

The chart compares government expenditure in India with that of other emerging markets in the region. The data is from the International Monetary Funds latest Fiscal Monitor. India falls below the average of Asian emerging markets in government revenue as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP). On the other hand, government expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure is far above the average. That is the crux of the

governments fiscal problem. The chart seems to suggest the solution lies not only in reducing expenditure, but ensuring that revenue too increases as a percentage of GDP.

Huge shortage of 64.1L allied health professionals: Report

New Delhi: India has a huge shortfall of 64.1 lakh allied health professionals with Uttar Pradesh accounting for the maximum shortage of over a million paramedics. A report prepared by Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) shows a gap of 20.42 lakh dental assistance-related technologists, 18.22 lakh rehabilitation-related workforce, 8.93 lakh miscellaneous health workers and 8.58 lakh surgery and anaesthesia-related professionals. As per the report, there is a gap of around 2.36 lakh medical technologists, 1.98 lakh surgical and intervention technology-related health professionals, 1.28 lakh opthalmologyrelated workers, 61,670 medical laboratory professionals and over 19,217 radiography and imaging experts. The report prepared after a nation-wide study was presented to Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and adopted by the Union Health Ministry for implementation of its recommendations. It suggests increasing paramedic workforce by setting up allied health human resource institutes offering post-graduate and other shorter courses, besides seeking stricter regulation of such education through a separate over-arching body and making stricter norms to bring them on a par with world class. Among states having the widest gaps in health manpower, Maharashtra comes second with 5.65 lakh less paramedics and Bihar third with 5.28 lakh shortfall. While West Bengal has 4.62 lakh less health workforce, there is a shortage of 4.22 lakh health professionals in Andhra Pradesh and 3.68 lakh less allied health professionals in Tamil Nadu. As per Census of India estimates, there are only 3,587 dieticians, 13,678 optometrists, 16,240 medical equipment operators and 99,010 medical assistants, 2,658 dental assistants, 7,265 physiotherapists, 15,396 modern health associates for every 10,000