Govt identifies key tech-based health solutions to develop in PPP mode to deal with COVID-19 challenges

Technology leaders presented two products currently being developed — a mobile product for livelihood access for blue and grey collar workers, and a mobile app for digital health, focused on tele-medicine and eventually a cloud-hospital solution

The government has identified seven key areas for developing technology-based solutions in public-private partnership mode to deal with challenges in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak, an official said.

The issue of technology-based solutions was discussed at the interaction of technology leaders with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, organised by Niti Aayog recently.    

“Over the past three months, more than 75 of the top minds in India have been working with Niti Aayog and several ministries/departments across seven key themes, and have been conceptualising and developing tech solutions,” the senior government official told PTI.

The seven areas are financial inclusion, digital health, livelihood, nutrition, MSMEs, agriculture and education.   

In late May, Modi had directed government think-tank Niti Aayog to identify key themes that would emerge in the post-COVID-19 world and work with top technology leaders to identify specific use cases for technology intervention.   

The Prime Minister emphasised on the need for quality digital healthcare and appreciated the technology leaders” proposition that video-based consultations should become the first port of call for routine health check-ups in near future, the official said. 

Modi also requested the team to ensure quality healthcare and extendibility of the solutions across the country, the official added.   

During the interaction, the technology leaders presented two products currently being developed — a mobile product for livelihood access for blue and grey collar workers, and a mobile app for digital health, focused on tele-medicine and eventually a cloud-hospital solution.  

The official pointed out that these two and several other products are being developed under the guiding principles of technology commons, which involves engaging with the best of India in a unique public-private collaboration model (PPC).    

“These projects, which are government-led and private-sector enabled, have been leveraging Niti Aayog as the technology supporter.     

“All the products are being built using open architecture and modular design, with transparency, security and ease of access being the key design principles,” the official said.