The Covid-19 pandemic has made both people and the administration extra sensitive to emergencies. At least that is how it seems to be the case in Varanasi, where the administration is using technology to cut short the trauma of waiting for the inevitable.
For those who can afford, private labs expedite medical pathology tests at a price, but to the majority of the population, this luxury is beyond reach and comes at the cost of precious lives at times.
Using CSR funding, IAS Himanshu Nagpal, the chief development officer (CDO) of Varanasi has launched Lab Mitra which will provide reports online to all patients of government hospitals.
It will also integrate all government laboratories with district and divisional hospitals, and even block public health centres (PHCs) at a later stage.
LAB MITRA
Speaking with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Nagpal, said that generally, people have to travel back and forth just to collect their reports. However, now, with the help of this portal, after a blood test is done in the OPD, the report will be available on the mobile phone of the beneficiaries via a message.
“The app will create an online report and the beneficiary just have to click on the link sent on their mobile phone sitting at home. This would also create a digital log of the patients’ reports,” the officer said.
MOVE IN PHASES
Currently, the administration is working on phase 1 of the project, in which around 40 labs will be brought on board the platform.
“We tried to keep it as simple as possible. Reports are just a click away,” the officer added.
In the second phase, sample collection would be done at home and it will also integrate hospital referral system on the platform, the officer informed.
Still in its nascent stage, the 2019 batch IAS officer, expects around 1,000 patients to be benefitted by Lab Mitra every day once it’s rolled out.
IMPLEMENTATION
The Lab Mitra app facility is already available at the divisional hospital in Varanasi. Soon it will be implemented at the other government hospitals.
The facility is available for patients admitted in the hospitals and soon those visiting Out Patient Departments will also be able to take advantage of the platform.
Varanasi is the first district in Uttar Pradesh to provide such a facility, the officer said, adding that Lab Mitra will also reduce the “missing report” problem.
“We have been asked to send the reports to the state government as well, so they might introduce it at the state-level as well,” he informed.
