The Conversation Series: Democratising Access: Using Technology to Provide Healthcare Services Across India

We will discuss an alternative model of healthcare that has successfully reached remote parts of India to tackle diseases such as tuberculosis, cancer, mental health, palliative care, and liver disease. In this model, referred to as ECHO ModelTM, healthcare providers are connected with specialists to tackle cases in their community. Using video technology, specialists teach and mentor local workers that include doctors, nurses, and other healthcare staff. Based in the United States, ECHO has a presence in more than 39 countries.

We will also understand how this alternative model of healthcare is seeking to tackle COVID-19 in India. Due to the migration of urban workers into rural areas, we have an emerging problem of the spread of COVID-19 in rural areas and small towns that are not equipped to deal with the problem. The pandemic, although unfortunate, presents an opportunity to develop institutions that can aid in the provision of healthcare across India.