The study was done by voluntary organization SEWA Rural in active partnership with Gujarat government and IT partner-(Argusoft India Ltd), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), World Health Organization (WHO) and MacArthur Foundation provided technical inputs and funding for the study.
Dr Pankaj Shah, principal investigator of the study, said the study used the best possible and robust randomized design to examine effect of the mobile app. “This is first randomized study globally which proved the effectiveness of a mobile phone application for frontline health workers in government-run system throughout continuum of care in difficult to reach tribal areas,” he said.
The study noted that good training, supportive supervision and ongoing resolution of technology problems are critical operational requirements for successful of such technology intensive interventions, Dr Shah said.
Dr Gaurav Dahiya, MD- National Health Mission, Gujarat noted, “The health department has scaled up the project in entire state. We aim to taper off use of paper registers by using digital interventions. The use of smart phones by female ASHAs and ANMs has greatly improved their self-confidence and knowledge. It is a right step towards gender equality and Digital India.”
So far, 5.8 crore citizens, 4.9 lakh pregnant women and 6.4 lakh infants under the age of one year are enrolled by ANMs in the TeCHO+ app in Gujarat until February 2019.
Prime minister Narendra Modi had launched state wide-scale up of the project as improved “TeCHO+” on October 8, 2017. The prime minister had noted that “TeCHO mobile application will become support to all health workers to do their health-related activities.