Meet the woman doctor who developed digital primary health centre in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district

Taking cue from the Centre’s ‘Digital India’ initiative, the woman doctor has digitised the PHC with advanced equipment of primary treatment and diagnosis for the benefit of villagers. The PHC has the latest digital pulse oximeter, glucometer, apparatus to check blood pressure, thermometer, nebuliser, digital weight machine, etc.

A woman doctor, Dr Manisha Lalchand Mahajan has claimed to have fully digitised a primary health centre, in terms of equipment and data, at Patonda village in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district. She has also designed a digital platform for the PHC called ‘Arogyadootam 2016’.

“Taking cue from the Centre’s ‘Digital India’ initiative, I have digitised the PHC with advanced equipment of primary treatment and diagnosis for the benefit of villagers,” Dr Manisha Lalchand Mahajan said. The PHC has the latest digital pulse oximeter, glucometer, apparatus to check blood pressure, thermometer, nebuliser, digital weight machine, etc, she said.

“Using software system, I have made PHC work paperless,” the doctor said. It also provides alert to parents for vaccination of children, section-wise monthly reports, keeps a real-time tab on medical stocks, setting targets and reminders for doctors at the PHC, Dr Mahajan said.

Earlier women were hesitant to approach the PHC with health problems, but since they have come to know about the use of latest technology, expectant mothers are comfortable in health checkups, she said. The software can also help in testing water samples from tubewells, river and hand pumps – a major source for spread of water-borne diseases, Dr Mahajan said.

She has sought support from the administrative machinery for the initiative. “This can only work with cooperation from all as the software needs to be updated regularly,” Dr Mahajan said. “The government should help create more digital PHCs and improve our country’s status on international platform by giving best services in public health,” she said.

“If you end corruption, ensure complete transparency at the PHC level. If primary health centres function well people need not go all the way to big cities like Mumbai and Pune,” Dr Mahajan added. The software ensures proper registration of patients at Out Patients Department (OPD), complete digital records of