In the heartland of Bihar, far from the buzz of city hospitals, a quiet revolution is taking root—led not just by doctors in white coats, but by the untiring efforts of Frontline Health Workers (FLWs). Among them stands Seema Kumari, an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) in the Ghoshi block of Jehanabad district—a torchbearer in the fight against maternal and child mortality.
When a pilot program was launched in Jehanabad to address High-Risk Pregnancies (HRP), it brought with it a bold vision: no woman should be left behind in her journey from pregnancy to motherhood. Central to this initiative was the ANMOL app—a mobile-based digital tool designed to track, record, and manage maternal and child health data in real time. Our Continuum of Care approach emphasized integrated services across the antenatal and postnatal periods. But in a place where traditional beliefs run deep and resources are scarce, change was never going to be easy.
Seema’s day begins before sunrise. Armed with a tablet—a symbol of the digital revolution reaching even the remotest health sub-centers—she scans through her dashboard. We have empowered Seema and over 18,500 frontline workers in Assam and Bihar with digital capacities to effectively use tools like ANMOL for data-backed decisions. This is not just data; these are lives. Women flagged for anemia, hypertension, undernutrition—each
waiting to be safeguarded.
One such story is that of Poonam Kumari, a 22-year-old first-time mother flagged as HRP. Diagnosed with low hemoglobin and hypertension, Poonam was at serious risk. Seema, along with ASHA worker Komal Kumari and the Community Health Officer (CHO) at the Health and Wellness Centre, formed a triangle of care. Komal, often walking miles under the scorching sun, visited Poonam’s home regularly—dispelling myths, monitoring her diet, and winning the trust of her skeptical family. The CHO arranged teleconsultations with doctors, a lifeline for a village without specialists. Seema ensured that clinical care—iron supplements, routine check-ups, birth planning—never faltered.
Poonam delivered a healthy baby girl at the Primary Health Centre, but the work didn’t stop there. The team continued with postnatal visits, newborn care, immunizations, and breastfeeding support. A month later, the same mother-in-law who once resisted care was now urging other women in the village to attend antenatal clinics—proof that change, though slow, was taking root. But behind this success was struggle. Seema navigated muddy roads, network outages, cultural barriers, and an overwhelming caseload across five villages. She often found herself explaining medical terms in local dialects, convincing husbands to prioritize their wives’ health, and managing resistance with patience and compassion.
Despite the odds, Seema says with quiet pride, “We are saving lives—not just of the mothers, but of the babies too. And slowly, we’re changing mindsets.”
This isn’t just a health intervention. It’s a movement powered by women like Seema, Komal, and the countless FLWs who are transforming rural healthcare with grit, empathy, and now, digital skills. The pilot in Jehanabad is not merely a program—it’s a testament to what’s possible when frontline workers are empowered to lead, and the continuum of care is not just a concept, but a lived reality.