Philips, ISRO, ATNF & DHAN join for a Noble Cause

Televisionpoint.com Team
Philips India, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation (ATNF) and Development of Humane Action (DHAN), are jointly involved in DISHA (Distance Healthcare Advancement) - a project aimed at meeting the healthcare needs of the less privileged in India. Each is a strategic partner in the project bringing their unique capabilities to deliver the Project's aims.

DISHA, a telemedicine initiative is a business plan conceived by Philips India for providing distance healthcare to the underserved people at the base of the economic pyramid. Healthcare is a core focus area for Philips and the company has a clear vision to make technological innovations in healthcare accessible, available, and affordable to wider sections of people around the world. DISHA is a step in that direction. The project will meet the needs of India's more vulnerable groups who need adequate but affordable healthcare.

This strategic partnership between a Government agency (ISRO), the largest healthcare service provider in Asia (Apollo), one of the most respected NGO's in the country (Dhan) and a global leader in imaging and medical diagnostics (Philips) is the first of its kind in India and is an outstanding example of public-private partnership in addressing one of the country's key concern areas.

In 2004 Philips commissioned ACNielsen (with support from ICG Consultants) to conduct a qualitative and quantitative research in India, which revealed that people in rural areas with lower incomes spend a higher proportion on healthcare than their urban counterparts. A large percentage of costs go to paying high interest rates on loans for healthcare, while travel and lost work time accounts for much of the remainder. Early intervention in a health crisis is therefore critical in dealing with poverty.

The DISHA initiative is being piloted in Theni district in Tamil Nadu and was formally inaugurated today in Madurai.

Dhan Foundation provides the vital link to the local community and will play a key role in community participation for the project. Dhan will provide counseling (through domiciliary follow-ups) to the patients on nutrition and hygiene. They will train volunteers from the villages to motivate and play an active role in counseling. This will enable the villagers to directly participate in the implementation of the project.

Commenting on this new foray by Philips, Mr K. Ramachandran, CEO, Philips India, said, "Philips is a Healthcare, Lifestyle and Technology company. Our vision is to be able to improve people's quality of life through the products we offer and the markets we serve. Our challenge lies in expanding our scope to new markets and new business opportunities with sustainability as the key driver."

Commenting on ISRO's role in the project, Mr G Madhavan Nair, Chairman, ISRO stated "with the objective of taking the benefits of space technology to the rural and remote area population, ISRO had taken the initiative to establish space-based telemedicine network in 2001. ISRO's Telemedicine network has now expanded to connect 26 specialty hospitals in major cities to 87 hospitals in rural and remote areas including the Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep and J&K."

Speaking about Apollo's role in DISHA, , Managing Director, Apollo Group of Hospitals said, "Today Apollo hospitals group is the largest healthcare provider in Asia and the third largest healthcare provider in the world. Apollo - the pioneer of telemedicine in India is also the largest telemedicine network solution provider in Asia. As part of our corporate social responsibility we are committed to provide specialized healthcare to the rural poor.

"In India, 80% of the population lives in the rural areas, whereas 80% of the medical community lives in the cities. 11% of the world's population, which resides in the rural areas of India, remains devoid of quality healthcare. This scenario could change with the use of Telemedicine, that would bridge geographical distances and provide healthcare to those sections of the society that currently don't have access to quality healthcare. Through telemedicine we transfer the knowledge and not the patients, who are then treated at their respective villages", Ms Preetha Reddy adds.

According to Mr. M P Vasimalai, Executive Director, DHAN Foundation, "Secondary and tertiary healthcare is still a distant dream for those living in remote pockets of rural India. Availability of affordable, quality healthcare is a huge issue in these communities". High spends on healthcare is one of the leading causes for debt in rural India. A large percentage of income goes towards high interest rates on loans for healthcare, while travel and lost work time accounts for much of the remainder.

The DISHA tele-clinical van will travel to identified locations once a week and it is expected to cover a population of 500,000. This pilot project will be evaluated and the results will be used to build a business model for a healthcare delivery system including the pricing for such a facility. Support of additional NGO's will also be sought to strengthen the interaction between the patients, doctors and the facilities.