A long list of Information and Communication Technologies projects provide valuable information about scope of ICT. Initiatives such as Information-Kiosks like the E-Choupal initiative,the Grameen-Phone Project, Financial Services using Internet or Mobile as a medium (M-PESA), E-Literacy projects, E-Governance projects are beginning to change the way we used to live.

Whether I am an entrepreneur who is looking for some profitable opportunity, or a farmer who is looking to sell his crop in the market or a Retired person who is dependent upon his Pension Account or a student in a very remote village where good Education facilities are practically non-existent, ICT has started to play an important role in several of my day-to-day activities. And in the future, ICT is expected to play an even bigger role.

However one important area namely Health Services hasnt received much attention by ICT proponents. I think that the reason lies in the model which is presently prevelant in India, wherein this sector is highly fragmented with each doctor practising on his own. We are aware of the dismal medical facilities which villages have.

According to Government of India figures, India is facing acute shortage of doctors (http://www.igovernment.in/site/shortage-of-doctors-hits-india’s-health-mission/). Accordig to a Planning Commission report, India is short of 0.6 million doctors, 1 million nurses and 0.2 million dental surgeons (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/India-short-of-6-lakh-doctors-/articleshow/2921262.cms).

Now when such a huge gap exists between Demand and Supply, anyone would like to cash upon the opportunity. Exactly same is the case with doctors too! Doctors who want to practise on their own, do not choose a village as their base as they have a big market in comfortable cities. So responsibility to provide medical services to villages primarily fall on the shoulders of the State. Now combine shortage of doctors in Villages with lack of Infrastructure (Medical Equipments) and you can clearly visualize the state of medical services in villages. Reason why Equipments are difficult to be installed in village health centre is that usually population in villages is too low to get Returns on Investment in terms of opportunity cost.

Now the question is that whether ICT can do something here?

By no means I am an expert in Medical field, but from my understanding, I believe that here too ICT can act as a very powerful interface. Let me put my understanding here so that if anyone has any idea he/she can take this point forward:

All the sophisticated machines and equipments that are used by doctors broadly have 2 functional areas:

• First one is the Data collection part which collects the patient’s physiological data
• And second one is the computing part which analyzes that data and produces results.

Now as per my understanding, I believe that its the part that analyzes data which is the primary cost-inflator for an equipment.

Now, if we can separate the data collection part, and then if those can be used in villages to collect physiological data of patients and then by using ICT if that data can be transmitted to competent doctors who have the data analyzers at their end, then major improvements can be brought about in health care facilities in remote areas at a much lesser cost.

Almost everyday a lot of instances happen where patients die because of the delay in providing appropriate medical facility to them. One reason for the delay is that their native area dont have the requisite facilities to monitor them and hence they are referred to Hospitals in cities and while on the way they die. A lot of mother mortality cases happens due to this reason. Heart Stroke patients also constitute a big category of such instances.

Now, if by using that data collection device, real-time data about these patients be collected and then by using a proper interface connected to Internet, that data be transmitted to doctors and laboratories that have the competences to analyze that data and then if they suggest the appropriate medical steps that need to be followed to Village level doctors, then this can be a big contribution of ICT to Health services.

India has started to see the consolidation in the Health Sector with several big players coming up on scene. Now question is that whether private sector players would like to take this initiative. They might, but with large markets in cities available to them where huge Demand-Supply gap exists, I do have some doubts .

So it comes down to the Government to involve Private Sector with itself. Private doctors in cities can be taken as partners wherein physiological data of patients be relayed to them to analyze and then they can assist the Village Level Health centre in decision making process. I believe, this would somewhat solve the dual problem of Shortage of Doctors as well as Shortage of Infrastructure and can bring about a major breakthrough in Medical Services at the Village Levels.