Kilkari Mobile Health Initiative Launched in Gujarat and Maharashtra

The Kilkari mobile health initiative, launched in Gujarat and Maharashtra, provides audio messages about pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare to families.

New Delhi, Feb 7: The Kilkari mobile health initiative, which provides audio messages about pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare, was launched with local content in Gujarat and Maharashtra on Wednesday. Union Minister S P Singh Baghel stated that the program aligns with the government's commitment to prioritize health infrastructure and strengthen services by utilizing India's expanding mobile phone penetration.

Kilkari Programme: A Centralized Interactive Voice Response Service

The Kilkari program is a centralized interactive voice response (IVR)-based mobile health service that delivers 72 weekly and time-appropriate audio messages directly to families' mobile phones. These messages cover topics related to pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare, starting from the second trimester of pregnancy until the child is one year old.

Mobile Academy: Enhancing the Knowledge of Accredited Social Health Activists

In addition to the Kilkari program, the Mobile Academy was also launched. This free audio training course is designed to expand and refresh the knowledge of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and improve their communication skills through their mobile phones.

Leveraging Technology for Digital Health India

Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar associated the launch of the m-health initiative with the rapid transformation of the health sector in India. She highlighted the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a digital health India, emphasizing the harnessing of technology for the benefit of the people.

Weekly Services and Timely Information

Pawar explained that the program aims to offer weekly services and timely accessible, accurate, and pertinent 72 audio messages through IVRS about reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and child health care to the targeted beneficiaries.

Government's Commitment to Public Health Infrastructure

Union Minister S P Singh Baghel emphasized that the launch of the Kilkari program aligns with the government's commitment to prioritize public health infrastructure and strengthen citizen-centric health services by leveraging India's expanding mobile phone penetration. He also mentioned the various steps taken by the government under the leadership of the Prime Minister to ensure the health and well-being of women.

Centralized Hosting and Cost-effectiveness

The Kilkari program is centrally hosted by the Union Health Ministry for all states and Union Territories (UTs), eliminating the need for additional investments in technology, telephony infrastructure, or operational costs by the states and UTs. This service is free of cost for both the states/UTs and the beneficiaries.

Current Implementation and Expansion Plans

Currently, the Kilkari program is being implemented in 18 states and UTs, including Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Uttarakhand. The Mobile Academy is operational in 17 states and UTs, excluding Chandigarh, and offers content in six languages: Hindi, Bhojpuri, Odia, Assamese, Bengali, and Telugu.

The launch of the Kilkari mobile health initiative in Gujarat and Maharashtra marks a significant step towards improving maternal and child health care in India. By leveraging the power of mobile technology, the program aims to provide timely and accurate information to families, empowering them to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.