App for lawmakers to check maternal, child health indicators

MPs and MLAs can now keep a close watch on maternal and child health indicators of their constituencies with the help of a mobile application called “Swasthya Samiksha”.

This tool was launched on Thursday in the presence of several members of Parliament. The app has been developed by White Ribbon Alliance India, Centre for Catalyzing Change and Swaniti and is currently available for android phones.

The application lets a user track 17 different health indicators for each district. One can also compare the performance of one district with other with the help of a heat or a colour coded map depicting the status of a health indicator. When a user clicks on the app a map opens before him. A drop down menu lets an MP/MLA select the districts falling under his or her constituency. Following which one can select the health parameter as well as the corresponding health indicator from a list of options that one wants to monitor. A graph then appears on the screen with the details of the selected health indicator for the year.

The various indicators for which information can be accessed include Maternal Mortality Rate, Institutional Delivery Rate, Ante-Natal Care, Post-Natal Care, Infrastructure Availability, Child Mortality Rate, Under-five Mortality Rate as well as Family Planning.

The data for all the different health indicators is compiled from state and national government surveys like National Family Health Survey, District Health Survey, among others.

Dr Aparajita Gogoi, Executive Director, Centre for Catalyzing Change and National Coordinator of White Ribbon Alliance India explains how this tool will be effective.

“An MP looks at the app and sees that the MMR in his district is high. He can then also check the Institutional Delivery Rate and know whether the low MMR is because there were very few deliveries in the hospital or whether it was because new mothers were leaving the hospital immediately after delivering a child and not getting proper care. This is how the application helps in providing answers to why a district is doing poorly in different health indicators. Not only that it also helps an MP/MLA decide what action they can take.”

This information tool will also provide updated details of various state and national health policies. There will also be news articles on health-related issues for the concerned state and district. An interesting feature of this application lets an elected legislature log actions taken by him to improve the health indicators of his constituency and also allows him to maintain a timeline.

“MPs and MLAs have a huge monitoring role as they are part of standing committees, district vigilance and monitoring committees, they can ask questions, they can pass bills and they can mobilise support. Our ultimate aim is to support elected leaders to understand their constituency and to help them lead change,” said Dr Aparajita Gogoi.

Currently launched for four states — Rajasthan, Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand — the application is available in Hindi and English.