Page 1
Bridging the Gap:
e-learning as a Catalyst for
Health and Nutrition Awareness
* Dr Akanksha Jain
n recent years, there is an increasing
awareness regarding health and
nutrition, driven by the urgent need
to improve public health outcomes.
In India, particularly in rural areas,
disseminating this crucial information has posed
I
significant challenges. However, the emergence of
e-learning technologies presents a promising solution.
E-learning has the potential to transcend geographical
barriers and provide accessible education, making it a
powerful catalyst for enhancing health and nutrition
awareness in rural communities. With traditional
* The author is an Assistant Professor (Food and Nutrition), Bhagini Nivedita College, University of Delhi.
Email: akankshajain@bn.du.ac.in
E-learning has emerged as a pivotal tool in enhancing health and nutrition awareness
in rural India, bridging significant gaps in education and accessibility. Governmental
schemes such as Digital India, Poshan Abhiyaan, and Ayushman Bharat have catalyzed
this transformation, yet challenges like digital divide and cultural barriers persist.
Proposed strategies to overcome the challenges to an extent include infrastructure
development, community engagement, capacity building, and cultural sensitivity,
aiming to optimize e-learning effectiveness. By leveraging partnerships, monitoring
mechanisms, and diversified content, these strategies aim to overcome barriers,
ensuring sustainable health and nutrition education in remote communities, thereby
fostering healthier and more empowered rural populations.
Page 2
Bridging the Gap:
e-learning as a Catalyst for
Health and Nutrition Awareness
* Dr Akanksha Jain
n recent years, there is an increasing
awareness regarding health and
nutrition, driven by the urgent need
to improve public health outcomes.
In India, particularly in rural areas,
disseminating this crucial information has posed
I
significant challenges. However, the emergence of
e-learning technologies presents a promising solution.
E-learning has the potential to transcend geographical
barriers and provide accessible education, making it a
powerful catalyst for enhancing health and nutrition
awareness in rural communities. With traditional
* The author is an Assistant Professor (Food and Nutrition), Bhagini Nivedita College, University of Delhi.
Email: akankshajain@bn.du.ac.in
E-learning has emerged as a pivotal tool in enhancing health and nutrition awareness
in rural India, bridging significant gaps in education and accessibility. Governmental
schemes such as Digital India, Poshan Abhiyaan, and Ayushman Bharat have catalyzed
this transformation, yet challenges like digital divide and cultural barriers persist.
Proposed strategies to overcome the challenges to an extent include infrastructure
development, community engagement, capacity building, and cultural sensitivity,
aiming to optimize e-learning effectiveness. By leveraging partnerships, monitoring
mechanisms, and diversified content, these strategies aim to overcome barriers,
ensuring sustainable health and nutrition education in remote communities, thereby
fostering healthier and more empowered rural populations.
37 Kurukshetra August 2024
methods facing limitations in reaching diverse
populations, e-learning offers scalable, interactive,
and customisable platforms like online courses, mobile
apps, and webinars to effectively educate and empower
rural residents.
The Indian government has launched several
schemes and programs to promote e-learning and
improve health and nutrition awareness in rural areas.
These initiatives aim to harness technology to overcome
barriers and ensure equitable access to information and
services.
1. Digital India Initiative: Launched in 2015, the
Digital India initiative aims to transform India into a
digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
It focuses on providing high-speed internet access,
promoting digital literacy, and delivering government
services electronically. Under this campaign, various
initiatives have been rolled out to enhance e-learning
platforms for health and nutrition awareness. The
establishment of Common Service Centres (CSCs) in
rural areas provides a digital touchpoint for villagers to
access e-learning modules and health information.
o e-Sanjeevani: A telemedicine service that
connects patients in
rural areas with doctors
and specialists in urban
centres through video
consultations. This
service improves access
to healthcare and
provides timely medical advice. It aims to bridge the
gap between rural patients and healthcare providers
through digital platforms.
o DigiLocker: An online platform that enables
individuals to securely store and share important
documents, including health records and educational
certificates. This facilitates easy access to personal
health information and enhances continuity of care.
o Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta
Abhiyaan (PMGDISHA): It was launched in 2017 to help
people in rural areas become digitally literate. Aimed at
making at least one person in every household digitally
literate, this program includes modules on health and
nutrition awareness.
o National Digital Literacy
Mission (NDLM): Focuses on providing
digital literacy to citizens, including health-related
e-learning content.
o e-Health: It was introduced to provide timely
and effective healthcare services such as online
registrations, payments, reports, and claims.
o E-education: It was started to provide online
education in remote and urban areas using technologies
such as smartphones, apps, and internet services.
o eRaktKosh: It is a centralised blood bank
management system inaugurated on April 7, 2016,
for automation of blood banks and has a web-based
application with Aadhaar linkage facility.
o Services e-Health Assistance and
Teleconsultation (SeHAT) is the tri-services
teleconsultation service of the Ministry of Defense
designed for all entitled personnel and their families. As
part of the Government’s commitment to Digital India
and e-governance, SeHAT was launched on May 27,
2021.
2. National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) :
Launched in 2020, NDHM aims to create a digital health
ecosystem that supports universal health coverage.
Key components of the mission include the creation
of unique health IDs for individuals, electronic health
records, and a health information exchange platform.
These initiatives are particularly beneficial for rural
populations, as they streamline access to healthcare
services and improve health outcomes.
3. Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0: Ministry
of Women and Child Development has implemented
the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 during the
Page 3
Bridging the Gap:
e-learning as a Catalyst for
Health and Nutrition Awareness
* Dr Akanksha Jain
n recent years, there is an increasing
awareness regarding health and
nutrition, driven by the urgent need
to improve public health outcomes.
In India, particularly in rural areas,
disseminating this crucial information has posed
I
significant challenges. However, the emergence of
e-learning technologies presents a promising solution.
E-learning has the potential to transcend geographical
barriers and provide accessible education, making it a
powerful catalyst for enhancing health and nutrition
awareness in rural communities. With traditional
* The author is an Assistant Professor (Food and Nutrition), Bhagini Nivedita College, University of Delhi.
Email: akankshajain@bn.du.ac.in
E-learning has emerged as a pivotal tool in enhancing health and nutrition awareness
in rural India, bridging significant gaps in education and accessibility. Governmental
schemes such as Digital India, Poshan Abhiyaan, and Ayushman Bharat have catalyzed
this transformation, yet challenges like digital divide and cultural barriers persist.
Proposed strategies to overcome the challenges to an extent include infrastructure
development, community engagement, capacity building, and cultural sensitivity,
aiming to optimize e-learning effectiveness. By leveraging partnerships, monitoring
mechanisms, and diversified content, these strategies aim to overcome barriers,
ensuring sustainable health and nutrition education in remote communities, thereby
fostering healthier and more empowered rural populations.
37 Kurukshetra August 2024
methods facing limitations in reaching diverse
populations, e-learning offers scalable, interactive,
and customisable platforms like online courses, mobile
apps, and webinars to effectively educate and empower
rural residents.
The Indian government has launched several
schemes and programs to promote e-learning and
improve health and nutrition awareness in rural areas.
These initiatives aim to harness technology to overcome
barriers and ensure equitable access to information and
services.
1. Digital India Initiative: Launched in 2015, the
Digital India initiative aims to transform India into a
digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
It focuses on providing high-speed internet access,
promoting digital literacy, and delivering government
services electronically. Under this campaign, various
initiatives have been rolled out to enhance e-learning
platforms for health and nutrition awareness. The
establishment of Common Service Centres (CSCs) in
rural areas provides a digital touchpoint for villagers to
access e-learning modules and health information.
o e-Sanjeevani: A telemedicine service that
connects patients in
rural areas with doctors
and specialists in urban
centres through video
consultations. This
service improves access
to healthcare and
provides timely medical advice. It aims to bridge the
gap between rural patients and healthcare providers
through digital platforms.
o DigiLocker: An online platform that enables
individuals to securely store and share important
documents, including health records and educational
certificates. This facilitates easy access to personal
health information and enhances continuity of care.
o Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta
Abhiyaan (PMGDISHA): It was launched in 2017 to help
people in rural areas become digitally literate. Aimed at
making at least one person in every household digitally
literate, this program includes modules on health and
nutrition awareness.
o National Digital Literacy
Mission (NDLM): Focuses on providing
digital literacy to citizens, including health-related
e-learning content.
o e-Health: It was introduced to provide timely
and effective healthcare services such as online
registrations, payments, reports, and claims.
o E-education: It was started to provide online
education in remote and urban areas using technologies
such as smartphones, apps, and internet services.
o eRaktKosh: It is a centralised blood bank
management system inaugurated on April 7, 2016,
for automation of blood banks and has a web-based
application with Aadhaar linkage facility.
o Services e-Health Assistance and
Teleconsultation (SeHAT) is the tri-services
teleconsultation service of the Ministry of Defense
designed for all entitled personnel and their families. As
part of the Government’s commitment to Digital India
and e-governance, SeHAT was launched on May 27,
2021.
2. National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) :
Launched in 2020, NDHM aims to create a digital health
ecosystem that supports universal health coverage.
Key components of the mission include the creation
of unique health IDs for individuals, electronic health
records, and a health information exchange platform.
These initiatives are particularly beneficial for rural
populations, as they streamline access to healthcare
services and improve health outcomes.
3. Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0: Ministry
of Women and Child Development has implemented
the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 during the
38 Kurukshetra August 2024
15
th
Finance Commission period 2021-22 to 2025-26.
Revised guidelines have been released on June 24, 2024
with a focus to strengthen ICT component and better
implementation and monitoring of Mission Poshan
2.0 with the directions to follow the provisions with
immediate effect including provision of smart phone
and data recharge support to Lady Supervisors and
Block Coordinators, 2% buffer for Smart phones, etc.
With a view to address various gaps and
shortcomings in the on-going nutrition programme and
to improve implementation as well as to accelerate
improvement in nutrition and child development
outcomes, the existing scheme components have been
re-organised under Poshan 2.0 into the primary verticals
given below:
o Nutrition Support for POSHAN through
Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) for children
of the age group of 6 months to 6 years, pregnant
women and lactating mothers; and for Adolescent
Girls in the age group of 14 to 18 years in Aspirational
Districts and North Eastern Region (NER)
o Early Childhood Care and Education (3-6 years)
and early stimulation for (0-3 years)
o Anganwadi Infrastructure including modern,
upgraded Saksham Anganwadi
o Poshan Abhiyaan: Launched in 2018, Poshan
Abhiyaan aims to reduce stunting, undernutrition,
and low birth weight in children, as well as anaemia
in children, adolescents, and women. The mission
emphasises the use of technology and e-learning to
spread nutritional awareness.
The mission leverages mobile applications,
e-learning platforms, and social media to disseminate
information about nutrition and healthy practices.
ICT-RTM (Information and Communication
Technology-Real Time Monitoring) uses mobile
applications to monitor and evaluate the nutrition
status of beneficiaries. It also provides educational
content on nutrition and health practices.
Poshan Maah (Nutrition Month) and Poshan
Pakhwada utilises e-learning tools to conduct
workshops, webinars, and digital campaigns focused on
nutrition awareness about the importance of nutrition
and promote healthy eating habits through Jan Andolan
and Jan Bhagidari.
‘Poshan Tracker’, a robust ICT enabled platform to
improve governance with regard to real time monitoring
of provisioning of supplementary nutrition for prompt
supervision and management of services.
4. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission: The
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) aims to
develop the backbone necessary to support the
integrated digital health infrastructure of the country.
Page 4
Bridging the Gap:
e-learning as a Catalyst for
Health and Nutrition Awareness
* Dr Akanksha Jain
n recent years, there is an increasing
awareness regarding health and
nutrition, driven by the urgent need
to improve public health outcomes.
In India, particularly in rural areas,
disseminating this crucial information has posed
I
significant challenges. However, the emergence of
e-learning technologies presents a promising solution.
E-learning has the potential to transcend geographical
barriers and provide accessible education, making it a
powerful catalyst for enhancing health and nutrition
awareness in rural communities. With traditional
* The author is an Assistant Professor (Food and Nutrition), Bhagini Nivedita College, University of Delhi.
Email: akankshajain@bn.du.ac.in
E-learning has emerged as a pivotal tool in enhancing health and nutrition awareness
in rural India, bridging significant gaps in education and accessibility. Governmental
schemes such as Digital India, Poshan Abhiyaan, and Ayushman Bharat have catalyzed
this transformation, yet challenges like digital divide and cultural barriers persist.
Proposed strategies to overcome the challenges to an extent include infrastructure
development, community engagement, capacity building, and cultural sensitivity,
aiming to optimize e-learning effectiveness. By leveraging partnerships, monitoring
mechanisms, and diversified content, these strategies aim to overcome barriers,
ensuring sustainable health and nutrition education in remote communities, thereby
fostering healthier and more empowered rural populations.
37 Kurukshetra August 2024
methods facing limitations in reaching diverse
populations, e-learning offers scalable, interactive,
and customisable platforms like online courses, mobile
apps, and webinars to effectively educate and empower
rural residents.
The Indian government has launched several
schemes and programs to promote e-learning and
improve health and nutrition awareness in rural areas.
These initiatives aim to harness technology to overcome
barriers and ensure equitable access to information and
services.
1. Digital India Initiative: Launched in 2015, the
Digital India initiative aims to transform India into a
digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
It focuses on providing high-speed internet access,
promoting digital literacy, and delivering government
services electronically. Under this campaign, various
initiatives have been rolled out to enhance e-learning
platforms for health and nutrition awareness. The
establishment of Common Service Centres (CSCs) in
rural areas provides a digital touchpoint for villagers to
access e-learning modules and health information.
o e-Sanjeevani: A telemedicine service that
connects patients in
rural areas with doctors
and specialists in urban
centres through video
consultations. This
service improves access
to healthcare and
provides timely medical advice. It aims to bridge the
gap between rural patients and healthcare providers
through digital platforms.
o DigiLocker: An online platform that enables
individuals to securely store and share important
documents, including health records and educational
certificates. This facilitates easy access to personal
health information and enhances continuity of care.
o Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta
Abhiyaan (PMGDISHA): It was launched in 2017 to help
people in rural areas become digitally literate. Aimed at
making at least one person in every household digitally
literate, this program includes modules on health and
nutrition awareness.
o National Digital Literacy
Mission (NDLM): Focuses on providing
digital literacy to citizens, including health-related
e-learning content.
o e-Health: It was introduced to provide timely
and effective healthcare services such as online
registrations, payments, reports, and claims.
o E-education: It was started to provide online
education in remote and urban areas using technologies
such as smartphones, apps, and internet services.
o eRaktKosh: It is a centralised blood bank
management system inaugurated on April 7, 2016,
for automation of blood banks and has a web-based
application with Aadhaar linkage facility.
o Services e-Health Assistance and
Teleconsultation (SeHAT) is the tri-services
teleconsultation service of the Ministry of Defense
designed for all entitled personnel and their families. As
part of the Government’s commitment to Digital India
and e-governance, SeHAT was launched on May 27,
2021.
2. National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) :
Launched in 2020, NDHM aims to create a digital health
ecosystem that supports universal health coverage.
Key components of the mission include the creation
of unique health IDs for individuals, electronic health
records, and a health information exchange platform.
These initiatives are particularly beneficial for rural
populations, as they streamline access to healthcare
services and improve health outcomes.
3. Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0: Ministry
of Women and Child Development has implemented
the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 during the
38 Kurukshetra August 2024
15
th
Finance Commission period 2021-22 to 2025-26.
Revised guidelines have been released on June 24, 2024
with a focus to strengthen ICT component and better
implementation and monitoring of Mission Poshan
2.0 with the directions to follow the provisions with
immediate effect including provision of smart phone
and data recharge support to Lady Supervisors and
Block Coordinators, 2% buffer for Smart phones, etc.
With a view to address various gaps and
shortcomings in the on-going nutrition programme and
to improve implementation as well as to accelerate
improvement in nutrition and child development
outcomes, the existing scheme components have been
re-organised under Poshan 2.0 into the primary verticals
given below:
o Nutrition Support for POSHAN through
Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) for children
of the age group of 6 months to 6 years, pregnant
women and lactating mothers; and for Adolescent
Girls in the age group of 14 to 18 years in Aspirational
Districts and North Eastern Region (NER)
o Early Childhood Care and Education (3-6 years)
and early stimulation for (0-3 years)
o Anganwadi Infrastructure including modern,
upgraded Saksham Anganwadi
o Poshan Abhiyaan: Launched in 2018, Poshan
Abhiyaan aims to reduce stunting, undernutrition,
and low birth weight in children, as well as anaemia
in children, adolescents, and women. The mission
emphasises the use of technology and e-learning to
spread nutritional awareness.
The mission leverages mobile applications,
e-learning platforms, and social media to disseminate
information about nutrition and healthy practices.
ICT-RTM (Information and Communication
Technology-Real Time Monitoring) uses mobile
applications to monitor and evaluate the nutrition
status of beneficiaries. It also provides educational
content on nutrition and health practices.
Poshan Maah (Nutrition Month) and Poshan
Pakhwada utilises e-learning tools to conduct
workshops, webinars, and digital campaigns focused on
nutrition awareness about the importance of nutrition
and promote healthy eating habits through Jan Andolan
and Jan Bhagidari.
‘Poshan Tracker’, a robust ICT enabled platform to
improve governance with regard to real time monitoring
of provisioning of supplementary nutrition for prompt
supervision and management of services.
4. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission: The
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) aims to
develop the backbone necessary to support the
integrated digital health infrastructure of the country.
39 Kurukshetra August 2024
It will bridge the existing gap amongst different
stakeholders of healthcare ecosystem through digital
highways. ABDM has the following components:
o Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR): It is a
comprehensive repository of all healthcare professionals
involved in delivery of healthcare services across both
modern and traditional systems of medicine. Enrolling in
the Healthcare Professionals Registry will enable them
to get connected to India’s digital health ecosystem.
o ABHA Mobile App (PHR): A PHR is an electronic
record of health-related information on an individual
that conforms to nationally recognised interoperability
standards and that can be drawn from multiple sources
while being managed, shared, and controlled by the
individual.
o Health Facility Registry (HFR): It is a
comprehensive repository of health facilities of the
nation across different systems of medicine. It includes
both public and private health facilities including
hospitals, clinics, diagnostic laboratories and imaging
centres, pharmacies, etc. Enrolling in the Health Facility
Registry will enable them to get connected to India’s
digital health ecosystem.
o Unified Health Interface (UHI): The UHI
Network is designed as an open protocol connecting
End User Applications (EUAs) and Health Service
Provider (HSP) applications. It will facilitate various
digital health services, such as appointment booking,
teleconsultation, and service discovery, between
patients and HSPs.
o ABHA Number: Standardising the identification
process across healthcare providers is crucial to ensure
medical records are correctly issued and accessed with
appropriate consent. Issuing a Unique Health ID (UHID)
requires collecting basic details such as demographic,
location, family/relationship, and contact information,
with an emphasis on easy contact information updates.
The Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) Number
will uniquely identify individuals, authenticate them,
and link their health records across various systems and
stakeholders with informed consent.
o Aarogya Setu has evolved into a National Health
App under ABDM. Users can register for a Digital Health
ID, interact with healthcare providers, and seamlessly
receive digital lab reports, prescriptions, and diagnoses
from verified professionals.
o The e-Hospital application is a cloud-based
Hospital Management Information System that
connects patients, hospitals, and doctors on a single
digital platform. It is available to Central and State
Government, Autonomous, and Cooperative hospitals
via the SaaS (Software as a Service) model.
The mission includes the development of e-learning
modules for health professionals and citizens,
enhancing their knowledge about health practices,
disease prevention, and nutrition.
5. Swasth Bharat Prerak Programme: The Swasth
Bharat Prerak (SBP) programme, launched in January
2018, is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Women &
Child Development and the Tata Trusts. It supplements
the path-breaking POSHAN (Prime Minister’s
Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment)
Abhiyaan or the National Nutrition Mission (NNM) by
providing managerial and administrative support to
the district and state administration for the effective
implementation of the mission. The programme aims to
improve health and nutrition outcomes by employing
technology-driven solutions. It uses e-learning platforms
to train community health workers and disseminate
health and nutrition information to rural populations.
Swasth Bharat Yatra: A nationwide campaign that
includes digital workshops, webinars, and e-learning
modules on health and nutrition awareness.
6. e-School for Farmers: This program,
implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare, provides online courses and training modules
on various aspects of agriculture, including health and
nutrition. The platform offers video tutorials, interactive
sessions, and expert advice, enabling farmers to
enhance their knowledge and improve their livelihoods.
7. National Health Mission (NHM): Launched
in 2013, aims to provide accessible, affordable, and
quality healthcare to rural populations. It includes a
significant focus on maternal and child health, nutrition,
and disease prevention.
The NHM incorporates e-learning strategies to
educate healthcare providers and the community about
health practices and nutrition.
o ASHA Training Modules: E-learning modules
designed for Accredited Social Health Activists
(ASHAs) to enhance their knowledge about health
and nutrition.
Page 5
Bridging the Gap:
e-learning as a Catalyst for
Health and Nutrition Awareness
* Dr Akanksha Jain
n recent years, there is an increasing
awareness regarding health and
nutrition, driven by the urgent need
to improve public health outcomes.
In India, particularly in rural areas,
disseminating this crucial information has posed
I
significant challenges. However, the emergence of
e-learning technologies presents a promising solution.
E-learning has the potential to transcend geographical
barriers and provide accessible education, making it a
powerful catalyst for enhancing health and nutrition
awareness in rural communities. With traditional
* The author is an Assistant Professor (Food and Nutrition), Bhagini Nivedita College, University of Delhi.
Email: akankshajain@bn.du.ac.in
E-learning has emerged as a pivotal tool in enhancing health and nutrition awareness
in rural India, bridging significant gaps in education and accessibility. Governmental
schemes such as Digital India, Poshan Abhiyaan, and Ayushman Bharat have catalyzed
this transformation, yet challenges like digital divide and cultural barriers persist.
Proposed strategies to overcome the challenges to an extent include infrastructure
development, community engagement, capacity building, and cultural sensitivity,
aiming to optimize e-learning effectiveness. By leveraging partnerships, monitoring
mechanisms, and diversified content, these strategies aim to overcome barriers,
ensuring sustainable health and nutrition education in remote communities, thereby
fostering healthier and more empowered rural populations.
37 Kurukshetra August 2024
methods facing limitations in reaching diverse
populations, e-learning offers scalable, interactive,
and customisable platforms like online courses, mobile
apps, and webinars to effectively educate and empower
rural residents.
The Indian government has launched several
schemes and programs to promote e-learning and
improve health and nutrition awareness in rural areas.
These initiatives aim to harness technology to overcome
barriers and ensure equitable access to information and
services.
1. Digital India Initiative: Launched in 2015, the
Digital India initiative aims to transform India into a
digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
It focuses on providing high-speed internet access,
promoting digital literacy, and delivering government
services electronically. Under this campaign, various
initiatives have been rolled out to enhance e-learning
platforms for health and nutrition awareness. The
establishment of Common Service Centres (CSCs) in
rural areas provides a digital touchpoint for villagers to
access e-learning modules and health information.
o e-Sanjeevani: A telemedicine service that
connects patients in
rural areas with doctors
and specialists in urban
centres through video
consultations. This
service improves access
to healthcare and
provides timely medical advice. It aims to bridge the
gap between rural patients and healthcare providers
through digital platforms.
o DigiLocker: An online platform that enables
individuals to securely store and share important
documents, including health records and educational
certificates. This facilitates easy access to personal
health information and enhances continuity of care.
o Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta
Abhiyaan (PMGDISHA): It was launched in 2017 to help
people in rural areas become digitally literate. Aimed at
making at least one person in every household digitally
literate, this program includes modules on health and
nutrition awareness.
o National Digital Literacy
Mission (NDLM): Focuses on providing
digital literacy to citizens, including health-related
e-learning content.
o e-Health: It was introduced to provide timely
and effective healthcare services such as online
registrations, payments, reports, and claims.
o E-education: It was started to provide online
education in remote and urban areas using technologies
such as smartphones, apps, and internet services.
o eRaktKosh: It is a centralised blood bank
management system inaugurated on April 7, 2016,
for automation of blood banks and has a web-based
application with Aadhaar linkage facility.
o Services e-Health Assistance and
Teleconsultation (SeHAT) is the tri-services
teleconsultation service of the Ministry of Defense
designed for all entitled personnel and their families. As
part of the Government’s commitment to Digital India
and e-governance, SeHAT was launched on May 27,
2021.
2. National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) :
Launched in 2020, NDHM aims to create a digital health
ecosystem that supports universal health coverage.
Key components of the mission include the creation
of unique health IDs for individuals, electronic health
records, and a health information exchange platform.
These initiatives are particularly beneficial for rural
populations, as they streamline access to healthcare
services and improve health outcomes.
3. Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0: Ministry
of Women and Child Development has implemented
the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 during the
38 Kurukshetra August 2024
15
th
Finance Commission period 2021-22 to 2025-26.
Revised guidelines have been released on June 24, 2024
with a focus to strengthen ICT component and better
implementation and monitoring of Mission Poshan
2.0 with the directions to follow the provisions with
immediate effect including provision of smart phone
and data recharge support to Lady Supervisors and
Block Coordinators, 2% buffer for Smart phones, etc.
With a view to address various gaps and
shortcomings in the on-going nutrition programme and
to improve implementation as well as to accelerate
improvement in nutrition and child development
outcomes, the existing scheme components have been
re-organised under Poshan 2.0 into the primary verticals
given below:
o Nutrition Support for POSHAN through
Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) for children
of the age group of 6 months to 6 years, pregnant
women and lactating mothers; and for Adolescent
Girls in the age group of 14 to 18 years in Aspirational
Districts and North Eastern Region (NER)
o Early Childhood Care and Education (3-6 years)
and early stimulation for (0-3 years)
o Anganwadi Infrastructure including modern,
upgraded Saksham Anganwadi
o Poshan Abhiyaan: Launched in 2018, Poshan
Abhiyaan aims to reduce stunting, undernutrition,
and low birth weight in children, as well as anaemia
in children, adolescents, and women. The mission
emphasises the use of technology and e-learning to
spread nutritional awareness.
The mission leverages mobile applications,
e-learning platforms, and social media to disseminate
information about nutrition and healthy practices.
ICT-RTM (Information and Communication
Technology-Real Time Monitoring) uses mobile
applications to monitor and evaluate the nutrition
status of beneficiaries. It also provides educational
content on nutrition and health practices.
Poshan Maah (Nutrition Month) and Poshan
Pakhwada utilises e-learning tools to conduct
workshops, webinars, and digital campaigns focused on
nutrition awareness about the importance of nutrition
and promote healthy eating habits through Jan Andolan
and Jan Bhagidari.
‘Poshan Tracker’, a robust ICT enabled platform to
improve governance with regard to real time monitoring
of provisioning of supplementary nutrition for prompt
supervision and management of services.
4. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission: The
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) aims to
develop the backbone necessary to support the
integrated digital health infrastructure of the country.
39 Kurukshetra August 2024
It will bridge the existing gap amongst different
stakeholders of healthcare ecosystem through digital
highways. ABDM has the following components:
o Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR): It is a
comprehensive repository of all healthcare professionals
involved in delivery of healthcare services across both
modern and traditional systems of medicine. Enrolling in
the Healthcare Professionals Registry will enable them
to get connected to India’s digital health ecosystem.
o ABHA Mobile App (PHR): A PHR is an electronic
record of health-related information on an individual
that conforms to nationally recognised interoperability
standards and that can be drawn from multiple sources
while being managed, shared, and controlled by the
individual.
o Health Facility Registry (HFR): It is a
comprehensive repository of health facilities of the
nation across different systems of medicine. It includes
both public and private health facilities including
hospitals, clinics, diagnostic laboratories and imaging
centres, pharmacies, etc. Enrolling in the Health Facility
Registry will enable them to get connected to India’s
digital health ecosystem.
o Unified Health Interface (UHI): The UHI
Network is designed as an open protocol connecting
End User Applications (EUAs) and Health Service
Provider (HSP) applications. It will facilitate various
digital health services, such as appointment booking,
teleconsultation, and service discovery, between
patients and HSPs.
o ABHA Number: Standardising the identification
process across healthcare providers is crucial to ensure
medical records are correctly issued and accessed with
appropriate consent. Issuing a Unique Health ID (UHID)
requires collecting basic details such as demographic,
location, family/relationship, and contact information,
with an emphasis on easy contact information updates.
The Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) Number
will uniquely identify individuals, authenticate them,
and link their health records across various systems and
stakeholders with informed consent.
o Aarogya Setu has evolved into a National Health
App under ABDM. Users can register for a Digital Health
ID, interact with healthcare providers, and seamlessly
receive digital lab reports, prescriptions, and diagnoses
from verified professionals.
o The e-Hospital application is a cloud-based
Hospital Management Information System that
connects patients, hospitals, and doctors on a single
digital platform. It is available to Central and State
Government, Autonomous, and Cooperative hospitals
via the SaaS (Software as a Service) model.
The mission includes the development of e-learning
modules for health professionals and citizens,
enhancing their knowledge about health practices,
disease prevention, and nutrition.
5. Swasth Bharat Prerak Programme: The Swasth
Bharat Prerak (SBP) programme, launched in January
2018, is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Women &
Child Development and the Tata Trusts. It supplements
the path-breaking POSHAN (Prime Minister’s
Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment)
Abhiyaan or the National Nutrition Mission (NNM) by
providing managerial and administrative support to
the district and state administration for the effective
implementation of the mission. The programme aims to
improve health and nutrition outcomes by employing
technology-driven solutions. It uses e-learning platforms
to train community health workers and disseminate
health and nutrition information to rural populations.
Swasth Bharat Yatra: A nationwide campaign that
includes digital workshops, webinars, and e-learning
modules on health and nutrition awareness.
6. e-School for Farmers: This program,
implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare, provides online courses and training modules
on various aspects of agriculture, including health and
nutrition. The platform offers video tutorials, interactive
sessions, and expert advice, enabling farmers to
enhance their knowledge and improve their livelihoods.
7. National Health Mission (NHM): Launched
in 2013, aims to provide accessible, affordable, and
quality healthcare to rural populations. It includes a
significant focus on maternal and child health, nutrition,
and disease prevention.
The NHM incorporates e-learning strategies to
educate healthcare providers and the community about
health practices and nutrition.
o ASHA Training Modules: E-learning modules
designed for Accredited Social Health Activists
(ASHAs) to enhance their knowledge about health
and nutrition.
40 Kurukshetra August 2024
o Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK): Uses
digital platforms to educate mothers about prenatal
and postnatal care, nutrition, and infant health.
8. School Health Programme under Ayushman
Bharat: This program aims to improve the health
and well-being of school children through regular
health check-ups, health education, and nutritional
interventions. E-learning tools are used to train
teachers and health workers in schools about health
and nutrition, ensuring that children receive accurate
and relevant information.
o Health and Wellness Ambassadors: Teachers
trained as Health and Wellness Ambassadors use
e-learning modules to educate students about health
and nutrition.
o Fit India School Week: Incorporates e-learning
activities and webinars to promote physical fitness and
nutritional awareness among students.
9. Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK): It is
a child health screening and early intervention program
that aims to improve the overall health of children through
regular health check-ups and nutritional support. The
program uses e-learning platforms to train health workers
and educate parents about child health and nutrition.
o Mobile Health Teams: These teams use
e-learning tools to disseminate health and nutrition
information to parents and caregivers during health
camps.
o Child Health Screening App: An app that
provides e-learning content on child health and nutrition
to healthcare workers and parents.
10. PM e-VIDYA: A comprehensive initiative called
PM e-VIDYA was initiated as part of Atma Nirbhar Bharat
Abhiyan on May 17, 2020, which unifies all efforts
related to digital/online/on-air education to enable
multi-mode access to education. The initiative includes:
o DIKSHA (one nation, one digital platform) is
the nation’s digital infrastructure for providing quality
e-content for school education in states/UTs and QR
coded Energised Textbooks for all grades are available
on it. 35 of the 36 states and UTs have on boarded on
DIKSHA platform and contextualised the content as per
the local need.
o One earmarked Swayam Prabha TV channel
per class from Class 1 to 12 (one class, one channel).
o Extensive use of Radio, Community radio and
CBSE Podcast- Shiksha Vani.
o Special e-content for visually and hearing
impaired developed on Digitally Accessible Information
System (DAISY) and in sign language on NIOS website/
YouTube.
o Besides, the Ministry has undertaken a
proactive initiative, named, ‘MANODARPAN’ covering a
wide range of activities to provide psychosocial support
to students, teachers and families for Mental Health
and Emotional Wellbeing.
11. The PM Poshan Scheme (Pradhan Mantri
Poshan Shakti Nirman) , formerly known as the Mid-
Day Meal Scheme is aimed to provide one hot cooked
meal in Government and Government-aided schools
from 2021-22 to 2025-26. Implemented by the Ministry
of Education, it includes children in pre-schools or Bal
Vatika (before class I) in primary schools, in addition to
children of classes I to VIII. Its main objectives are to
combat hunger and improve education by enhancing
the nutritional status of children in Government and
Government-aided schools, encouraging regular
attendance, and aiding concentration in classroom
activities.
The scheme plays a significant role in addressing
health and nutrition-related awareness in rural India
through e-learning initiatives:
o Integration of Nutrition Education with School
Curriculum: The PM Poshan Scheme incorporates
digital learning modules on nutrition and health as part
of the school curriculum. These modules are designed
to educate children about balanced diets, hygiene
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