'Aarogya Sakhis' bring healthcare at doorstep in Dharavi slums

Women from lower income group in Dharavi slums are making a wise use of mobile technology to ensure that inexpensive and authentic medicines reach to their neighbourhood using an app-based technology.

The state government's Women Economic Development board called the Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal has started an initiative called Aarambh under which a group of 30 women from Dharavi all member of a self-help groups are trained by online medicine platform PharmEasy. The Chief Minister's office through its social responsibility cell Sahabhag is working as facilitator for the Aarambh.

The women have been trained to use mobile application and have been provided a link using which they can order medicines with 20 per cent discount. The discount is extended to the needy patients who tend to spend as much as Rs 2000 per month for buying medicines for chronic diseases. The health agent who are Ghe Bharari trained members receive a fixed amount through commission based on value of the drugs bought.

The app is also designed in such a way that the health workers or 'Aarogya Sakhis' can send reminders to slum dwellers and save them from using counterfeit drugs. All that the slum dwellers would need is a prescription from the doctor and the lady volunteer would scan the prescription and order the drugs by using QR code. The government plans to organise 20 additional such health camps would be conducted in Dharavi in next 6 months which aims at reaching to a more wider audience in urgent need of affordable health care.