In the heart of rural Chhattisgarh, accessing quality healthcare is a challenge. The maternal mortality rate remains critically high. Yet, there are stories of support and transformation that illustrate the transformative power of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (RMNCH) programs in such areas – they leverage digital tools and data-driven care to improve healthcare delivery in underserved communities.
Suman, a 21-year-old woman from Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, lived in a small village where life was simple but often challenging. After two years of marriage, she discovered she was pregnant. While overjoyed, she also feared the difficulties of giving birth in her village, where there were no nearby hospitals and limited healthcare.
Suman’s family, though loving, couldn’t afford better medical care. The nearest clinic was hours away, and despite her mother and grandmother having given birth in the village, Suman was anxious about her own experience.
Anita, an ASHA worker, visited Suman, bringing her not only emotional support but also the ability to take data-led decisions. Through a government initiative, she has been provided with a mobile phone with an app designed to help her track important data about Suman’s health. Under our Digital Public Health (DPH) Centre of Excellence, we empower frontline workers like Suman with the skills to use such digital tools through which they can play a stronger role in enhancing reproductive and maternal health.
The health app allowed Anita to record key health metrics, such as weight and nutritional intake and to monitor Suman’s progress during her pregnancy. The app’s real-time data tracking enabled Anita to quickly identify any potential risks, ensuring that Suman received personalized care tailored to her specific needs.
This integration of data-driven solutions allowed Anita to offer much more than just basic care. She could guide Suman on nutrition, offer advice on maintaining a healthy pregnancy, and ensure that her journey was supported with the right interventions at every stage. She also reassured Suman with words that echoed comfort and support: “You don’t have to do this alone; we’re here to help every step of the way.” For the first time, Suman felt not just cared for, but truly prepared for the journey ahead.
When the day of delivery arrived, Suman, supported by Anita and the healthcare team, gave birth to a healthy baby girl in a safe environment. She named her Asha, meaning “hope.” The entire village celebrated, and Suman felt deeply grateful for the care and support she received
This experience changed Suman’s life. She realized the importance of healthcare not just for herself but for all mothers in the village. Healthy mothers lead to stronger families, which create better communities. Now, Suman encourages other pregnant women to seek proper medical care, sharing her story to make a difference.
At the Digital Bharat Collaborative (DBC), we are focused on ensuring that no woman or child is left behind by using technology to improve the quality of care. Through our RMNCH programs like Xushrukha, we empower frontline workers like Anita with the tools to identify high-risk pregnancies early and manage them effectively, reducing maternal and infant mortality.
In addition to supporting mothers like Suman, DBC’s broader mission is to digitize across five lighthouse states and train all the frontline workers to become digitally empowered healthcare providers. These efforts are part of a larger vision to improve healthcare delivery through the Continuum of Care, a systems-driven approach that ensures every woman, child, and newborn receives integrated, high-quality care—from pregnancy through to postnatal support. This approach includes not only maternal care but also integrated child health programs, immunizations, and timely referrals for specialized care, all supported by digital systems that enable real-time monitoring and decision-making.
Our focus on digital capacity building for frontline workers is vital. We provide digital literacy training to enable workers to use apps like ANMOL / RCH 2.0 to improve data quality and patient tracking. By enhancing these workers’ digital skills, we ensure that the healthcare system is more efficient and responsive, even in the most remote areas.
Suman’s journey is a powerful testament to the difference digital health interventions can make in rural, underserved communities. Her experience with Anita highlights how technology not only improves access to care but also ensures that personalized, data-driven interventions are available, leading to healthier outcomes. As we celebrate World Health Day 2025, Suman’s story echoes the theme of “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures.”