Transparency and efficiency through extensive use of technology has become the fundamental principle of all reforms in the governance today. Though financial sphere of governance has been transforming very rapidly throughout the country, basic administrative aspects and office procedures, being much more complicated, perhaps have taken a back seat.
Considering this situation, Dhule district administration along with all line departments have taken many e-governance initiatives in last one year. Their implementation is helping not just citizens but also District Collector and all concerned officers to ensure above mentioned basic principles of democratic administration. These can be replicated in every district as they are, with some cosmetic changes. One of these initiatives is to make Rashtriya Baal Swaashthya Kaaryakram (RBSK) paperless.
RBSK is a flagship program of the Government of India. Under this program, all children between age of 6 months to 14 years are thoroughly checked by a contractual team of doctors every year in each Anganwadi and School. There is a prescribed inspection form that is filled after check-up of each child. Based on this form, every child, who needs any kind of treatment, including surgical interventions of any kind, is appropriately referred and treated as per the standards of the scheme. As per the guidelines of the scheme, every contractual team of doctors has been provided with one Pharmacists, ANMs and a dedicated vehicle also along with medicines. But at most places, the whole scheme has remained on paper with fudged data. As we all are aware of the true nourishment status of children on ground, it is clear that generations are being prevented from realising their true potential due to flawed implementation of this scheme.
To address this, RBSK Coordination Committee of Dhule district developed a GPS-enabled end-to-end online mobile app and made this whole scheme paperless. Whenever a team of doctor uploads the data in the format of the scheme from his/her mobile, the app also picks the GPS coordinates of the mobile at that moment. The app also makes it mandatory to click at least one photo or multiple photos of the child through the app itself as per the requirements of the diagnosis. Even if there is some problem of the mobile network, the app can work offline also and upload the data whenever the team comes in the mobile network range. The app has been designed in such a way that data of a child can be filled in less than two minutes.
The whole reporting of the scheme has now been made online. Even the referral services have been integrated in the app as per the requirements of the scheme. Separately customized real-time dashboard is given on the mobiles of all concerned senior officers. The app is creating medical history of more than 3 lakh children of Dhule district. It can also track movement of children from Anganwadi to Schools using name and Aadhar number. This helps to find school dropouts also without any error.
The app was launched on October 1, 2018 by Hon. Mr. Pradeep Vyas, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Health, Government of Maharashtra at Mumbai in his office. This app has been developed and is being used without any cost due to philanthropic interests of the software developing company. The company is ready to implement it free of cost in any district. After this successful proof of concept at Dhule district, it can be easily launched in all districts and at State level also.
