Mobile clinic initiative in India has lessons for world to overcome transport barriers: UNICEF official
The second Health Working Group meeting under G20 India Presidency is being held from April 17-19, 2023, in Goa. More than 180 delegates from 19 G20 member countries, 10 invited states and 22 international organisations are participating.
FollowA top UNICEF official hailed India's adoption of digital health services and novel methods for ensuring healthcare access in remote areas and said lessons learnt from the country on mobile clinics to mitigate transport barriers can be applied to insurgency-prone areas.
Speaking to news agency PTI, Dr Lakshmi Narasimhan Balaji, Senior Adviser Health, UNICEF-New York said that India has successfully implemented various mobile health initiatives, including routine immunisation of children.
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Digital health measures have played a critical role in managing various aspects of life during the pandemic such as providing health services in remote areas and online educational interventions, he said on the sidelines of the 2nd Health Working Group meeting under G20 India Presidency which began in Goa on Monday.
During the pandemic, mobile services were deployed to provide information on immunisation, online consultations, COVID-19 vaccinations, testing, and COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB), Balaji said. For example, India has ensured every citizen receives a vaccine certificate through CO-WIN portal and this helps monitor progress.
"These mobile clinics were essential in providing traditional healthcare services in areas where access to healthcare facilities is low due to challenges of geography, climate, or recurring natural disasters," he said.
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"Mobile health clinics are also an effective way of mitigating transport barriers in many communities," Balaji said. For instance, in flood-affected areas, a boat can transport medical workers to deliver immunisation services.
"Lessons learnt from India on having mobile clinic options to mitigate transport barriers can be applied to insurgency-prone areas like Afghanistan, where a modified scooter or auto rickshaw (called zaranj) can act as an emergency ambulance to transport pregnant women in labour to the nearest hospital," he said.
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He, however, pointed out that digital interventions in healthcare must address the issue of digital divide which is more significant for women since they constitute 67 per cent of the global health workforce. Given that globally 67 percent of the health workforce at all levels are women, digital interventions must address this issue, he said.
The second Health Working Group meeting under G20 India Presidency is being held from April 17-19, 2023, in Goa. More than 180 delegates from 19 G20 member countries, 10 invited states and 22 international organisations are participating.
(With inputs from PTI)
