Featured, News, Staff Picks, Tech

WHO advice on screen time for children under five?

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1.      That for children under one-year… sedentary screen time (such as watching TV or videos, playing
computer games) is not recommended and that when sedentary, engaging in reading and storytelling
with a caregiver is encouraged.
2.       That children under two years of age should have no screen time whatsoever
3.       For those aged two years, sedentary screen time may be no more than one hour; less is better.
4.       That three and four-year-olds should not play with iPads or watch television for more than an hour
a day ( less is better).
5.       WHO recommends at least 180 minutes in a variety of types of physical activities for three-to-four-
year olds.
6.       Improving physical activity, reducing sedentary time and ensuring quality sleep in young children
will improve their physical, mental health and well being.

The nuances of contemporary society in the above context:

During our childhood, before 1960, there were no TV, video games, mobiles etc. Only radios were
available and that also one radio per 15 to 20 families. Apart from filmy songs at a predefined time, all
programmes were for knowledge and science. Our only pass time was playing all sorts of games starting
from early morning till late evening with  a break for school and when mothers caught hold for feeding.
In the school also there was one hour compulsory physical training. For PT there used to be a PT
Teacher, full attendance was necessary and carried marks in the examinations. Because of that we enjoy
better health at present than our children.
What WHO has recommended is very correct and must be implemented.
The problem is how ? Now majority of middle class  families are living in 2 bed room flats where TV is on
most of the time, If it is stopped the whole family will have to be denied TV. Schools are running in few
rooms with out play ground.
So, it is a big problem and the solution is very much elusive.
Children under FIVE years of age need to spend more time with their parents, trying to imbibe the soft
and hard skills of life over this period and beyond. They learn on the successes and failures of daily
activities of life and experiences too, which is called “imprinting in the brain”.
Many parents indulge in handing over mobile phones/tablets to very small kids to keep them distracted
and occupied in order to complete the task of mechanically feeding them …or getting them ready for
school, as a quick fix measure. This act should be condemned !
That the child in question cries inconsolably without such gadgets, is an unacceptable excuse

Digital Detox

This phenomenon / concept is in crying need of the hour.
The society at large has become a ‘ slave’ to the digital revolution and its nuances. We hardly see
someone who displays a considerable freedom from such digital devices in the present times.
Admittedly…the arrival of digital personal devices have revolutionized our lives in a big way….but the toll
it has taken on our lives is often immeasurable and disastrous. The moral decadence of society cannot be
ignored !

Signs of digital addiction and abuse…………………………………….

1. Engaged with a digital device of any kind, for most waking hours of a day
2. Strong distraction at home and at work place with digital gadgets..thereby causing interactive
issues with peers and those around. This goes to such an extent that house members sitting in
adjacent rooms are often found communicating through digital devices amongst themselves !!!
3. People are very often unable to feel comfortable without looking at their personal gadgets….
many a times….every five-ten minutes. Employees working at office are terribly overpowered to
check their personal emails and social media accounts, every now and then…to that extent that
employees cannot restrain themselves from gazing at their phones during Interview sessions and
important board meetings at office…IN PRESENCE OF THE BOSS !!!
4. People on their mobile devices who scan the social media very frequently feel a terrible urge to
respond to friend requests/postings/comments, to feel that they are of importance to the one at
the other end and that they do not lag behind in any way !! They feel tremendously relieved to live
in a competitive make believe world which is exclusively illusive.,..often bringing in frustrations in
their own lives !
5. School children many a time pester their parents to give them mobile phones citing silly reasons,
to which the parents relent without any after thought and then suffer the consequences in a bitter
manner..at a later date. Prior to the era of digital technology arriving in a big way….there were
generations of students and parents who never faced any problems in their day to day lives !
6. The situation has come to such a passé…that very often personnel in demanding
professions….for ex. Hospital / Aviation industry / Railway personnel… are busy with their
personal devices often at the cost of a set back/potential loss of money/time/even a life-in a few
cases.. to the served target subjects …!! There are many examples which can be cited on such
counts.
7. Crimes of any conceivable nature have arrived in the scene…which are principally committed by
the help of such digital gadgets and persons of all ages have become very vulnerable now to fall
victims of such unhealthy trends,including emotional / otherwise blackmailing, to make any digital
records viral in the social media. The society is grappling in a major way within the framework of
cyber laws and cyber judiciary regulations to grapple with such issues seeking and aiming to
bringing he offenders to book, in the name of justice.
8. Many people feel a vague subjective discomfort without access to their personal digital devices
around them and display overt features of bodily symptoms such as vague aches and
pains..headaches…lack of concentration….suppressed anger…improper sleep….lack of appetite
etc etc. They may get labelled as subjects with psycho-somatic illnesses to which the remedy
though simple , often stays elusive.
9. Clear health issues may overcome the well being of digitally addicted folks….in the form of
“Computer Vision Syndrom”e..affecting the hands/neck/eyes/body muscles in a significant way
following excessive usage of computer devices which require long staring in defective postures at
office/homes.

Suggested ways for a detox from the digital world………………………………..

1. Begin a practice of digital abstinence….initially for short spells..maybe an hour or so…and slowly
increasing it on a daily basis. The abstinence should be applicable to holidays also !

The results of such self-restraint get obvious over a period of time.
2. Parents to decide very critically in allowing their children the personal usage of mobile
phones/tablets etc…based on a no. of factors such as age/necessity/any tendency to
communicate with friends in the sly/duration of holding these devices on themselves/any
tendency to lend these devices to friends/associates for abusive use etc.
3. Parents of children of all ages should be checking on the Internet usage nature very intensely in
order to prevent them having access to obectionable/adult sites and make an effort to ban
such web access in their home/individual devices. Lack of vigilance on the part of
parents/guardians often lands up the concerned under age folks and family in an unanticipated
trouble to their already burdened lives ! This is very important with growing children at home
and should not be neglected.
4. Encourage people as much as possible in offices…..public transport modes…public places..to
engage in more of personalized conversation and exchange of pleasantries, rather than spend
most of the time hooked on the LCD panels of their devices in hand…!!!
Get back to the dying habit of wishing and greeting people on their face with a smile.
( The smiles should come back on their faces, instead of through emoticons in their digital
devices ).
5. Taking a short break from the mundane chores of daily lives……….when the digital devices are to
be totally shunned till normal lives are resumed again ! This shall be a welcome change which
the body may be craving for a long time.
6. Children and students should be encouraged to spend more quality time outside in the
playground at simple games which involve a good amount of physical exercising and running
around for improving their concentration at work and preventing that much hated complication
of ‘Childhood Obesity’…which gets over time transitioned to ‘Adult Obesity’ !!
Addiction to digital devices contribute to Obesity in a major way across all ages.

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Staff Picks, Travel

The untold story of iKure beyond the narrow trails

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We were at the first mile in the last mile. Our car driver whom we lovingly called Nattu was in high spirits praising the new road which has recently found a new shape after the smoothen pitch. Soon his sunlit smile faded when the road started getting narrow after taking first few turns from the NH6  Highway. The journey continued, and my heart sank, more we drove in. The road was getting narrower and almost disappearing now and then. However, the golden wheat fields, field laden with marigold flowers, and the untamed river that followed us assured me of the hope that there is a way beyond. I was led by two team members who drove the motorbike, carefree but determined of the road ahead and the founder of the ‘Unicorn’, acknowledged as the ‘100 most Influential Leader 2020’ continuing his untiring efforts of handling the venture’s responsibilities over the phone, while I waited impatiently for the journey to get over through the narrow trails.

Finally, the stop arrived at a primary school in an unknown little village in Gologram in West Bengal. iKure’s mobile medical team was already in full gear attending the patients that have gathered for the eye and medical check-up. Two Doctors, with a Paramedicine staff, Health Worker, and Program in- Charge were busy registering patient’s vitals using AI enabled health tech devices.

Locational factors have an important bearing on the potential of healthcare supplies. In urban poor and remote locations, it is difficult for healthcare systems to attain the demands of critical services. Most of the journeys made by our beneficiaries are at substantial risk of fatal outcomes during emergency cases. Therefore for iKure, it is important to provide access to primary healthcare facilities through mobile medical teams that are usually set up in schools or in local administrative offices.

The pandemic in India is witnessing its second wave, people are creeping out of their shelters, still hesitant to explore beyond their safe zone, but this medical team has a message for all of us. Inspiring as they accept risk as part of their chosen job roles, hardly exhibiting concerns on their routine door-step schedule, at iKure’s medical camps and in hubs. The immense accreditations and support to fulfill the mission of iKure ‘Creating zero mortality in primary healthcare’ through their hands and the unwavering determination of their hearts is enough to bring smiles to our beneficiaries during the challenging times of the COVID-19.

Primary healthcare is the first line of defense to keep people safe. The primary healthcare system has the capacity to diagnose, track, and contain community outbreaks while providing essential services.

iKure is prioritizing its regular services through technology innovations, mass screening operations, and research interventions that use primary data to help identify and address the gaps and laying a strong foundation for primary healthcare to protect people from the next health threats.

iKure has treated more than a million patients with plans to open 200 clinics in the next three to four years. It is already offering health-tech solutions in Vietnam with plans to serve in other South-east Asian countries like Cambodia, Philippines, and Indonesia.

The journey way back home was different. I found Nattu’s face lit up again while he shared one of his journeys with the iKure’s medical team in Keshiary, in remote West Bengal. He recalled, he had to carry back home the team through a bamboo bridge that was half immersed due to the flood. Fearing the car might not find its way underneath the water, they waited till 2:00 am for the water to subside. And finally, when they returned, it was time again for another journey.

It might come across for many that Ratan Tata’s investment has been easy for iKure. But the immense trade-off, patience, and teamwork go without saying, they haven’t had it all yet. While the team is gearing up to scale-up and expand its operations, this investment is a huge encouragement for iKure as they believe, iKure’s services will make the real difference for the people who need it most, as access to primary healthcare will be the corner stone to confront the pandemic and the situation beyond it.

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Lifestyle, Staff Picks

COVID-19: Initiatives from iKure

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COVID-19 pandemic has created significant disruptions globally and presented multiple challenges for healthcare providers. We at iKure, have been working on multiple initiatives to address some of these challenges.

This article briefly presents some of the initiatives from iKure.


  •  

    • 1. COVID Awareness & Counseling

      The solution from iKure involves creating mass awareness through a combination of IVR (Interactive Voice Response) and iKure Health App. The information shared is in strict compliance with Government protocols and available in the local languages. The contents focus on the following areas:

• Measures on social distancing
• Hand washing hygiene & procedure
• Understanding symptoms of COVID-19 and taking adequate measures
• Awareness building to seek doctor’s consultation
• Addressing phobia around quarantines and self isolation
• Address mental distress & anxiety
• Questionnaire for self assessment based on symptomatic behavior
• Questionnaire to assess awareness level

In order to drive the mass awareness and counseling, iKure has developed an initiative to train frontline health workers on a Train-The-Trainer approach. These Trainers will in turn train area volunteers/ representatives. These trained members will be deployed in the identified areas for awareness, counseling and identification of high risk members. The Train-The-Trainer training can be done remotely using iKure Health App.



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    • 2. Telemedicine App from iKure

      iKure Telemedicine App will enable patients to schedule consultations with remote Doctors. Frontline health workers who visit the patients at their homes can facilitate this engagement. A typical workflow of the Telemedicine App from iKure is briefly described below:

      • The patient registers on the App either on his own or with assistance from the Community Health Worker (CHW) visiting his home.
      • Patient can request an appointment for doctor consultation on his own. The CHW can also request an appointment with the doctor. This will generate a queue.
      • The doctor gets a notification of the call request in his App and based on his availability can accept/reject the request for the telemedicine call
      • For a follow-up consultation for an existing patient, the Hospital might already have access to the patient’s medical records. If not, the patient can scan and upload his last prescription and test results.
      • For a new patient, a CHW can visit the patient’s place on a scheduled time, collect basic vitals, enter them in the iKure App and then schedule a call with the doctor. The patient or CHW can check the status from their App.
      • Internal triggers in the App can send notifications for medicine and vital alerts to the patient.
      • The Doctor will be able to view patient details before, during and after the call. This includes demographics, vitals and clinical information such as prescriptions and results.
      • The doctor can enter the prescription in the App and this can be viewed by the patient or CHW.

    • 3. COVID-19 Health Intervention Program
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      The intervention will focus on awareness, counseling and screening for Corona Virus. It is preferred to handle this intervention by conducting a general health camp. If this is not possible, the intervention can be done through home visits by ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) and ANM (Auxiliary Nurse Midwife) workers. The specific services to be delivered through the intervention include:

       

      • Patient registration
      • Measurement of patient vitals – Body Temperature, Blood Pressure, Height, Weight, Body Mass Index, Pulse Rate, SpO2
      • Patient screening & identifying high risk patients for COVID-19
      • Referring high risk patients for further laboratory tests
      • Doctor consultation (face-to-face or through telemedicine)
      • Providing medicines to patients as per the diagnosis made by Doctor
      • Patient counseling & awareness on COVID-19
      • Issuing iKure Health Screening Card

  • 4. iKure Population Health Management System

    iKure has a proprietary population health management system called WHIMS (Wireless Health Incident Monitoring System). WHIMS is a medical collaboration platform and can integrate the various stakeholders in the primary healthcare ecosystem including patients, doctors, frontline health workers and primary healthcare clinics.Deploying WHIMS in a region can provide a framework for predicting disease outbreaks, notifications to seek medical help and tracking the spread of diseases.

    The key features of WHIMS include the following:

    • Create a clinical database (Electronic Medical Record) of the population in the identified area
    • Provide a technology platform for primary healthcare players in the identified area and enable them to provide better healthcare services focusing on continuum of care
    • Enable Community Health Workers (CHWs) in data collection from the patient’s home, arrange telemedicine calls and get prescription alerts
    • Doctor’s can view patient details including clinical history and enter details of consultation and prescription
    • Patients can view reports, book services online and get consultations through telemedicine
    • Integration with medical devices and wearables
    • Integrate with 3rd party AI (Artificial Intelligence)/ML (Machine Learning) applications for predictive analytics
    • Serve as a technology platform for stratification of population, identification of high risk patients and prioritize testing & screening for the most vulnerable population
    • Provide a platform for implementing priority health intervention programs

About iKure: iKure (https://www.ikuretechsoft.com/) is a healthcare technology startup that delivers primary healthcare, wellness, and prevention services to communities in India through digital technologies, trained frontline health workers, a network of Hub & Spoke Clinics and focus on a continuum of care. iKure focuses on addressing the primary healthcare needs across all settings – rural, semi-urban and urban areas.


Rahul Chatterjee
Chief Growth Officer, iKure

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Desing & Art, Staff Picks

Blog

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iKure Techsoft Pvt. Ltd. has been selected to participate in a new ‘Peer learning network’ hosted by Microsoft and the ODI

iKure has this week been announced as one of six organisations to take part in an international peer learning network for data collaborations.

The network is hosted by the Open Data Institute (ODI) and Microsoft through Microsoft’s Open Data Campaign, which aims to close the data divide and help organisations of all sizes to realise the benefits of data and the new technologies it powers.

The goal of the peer learning network is to convene data collaborations of all sizes to enable them to learn from one another and access expert guidance and support to more effectively address the challenges they face.

iKure has been chosen as one of the winning organisations. iKure through this collaboration aims to build open data access framework through integration of real-time data with advanced AI framework to create early response for NCD management.

The other five selected data collaborations are: Caring for Equality in Buenos Aires’ Labour Market – Open Data Charter

Data cargo – The Data Place
● MaaS-Peer – ITS Norway
● Packaging reuse data – Reath and Zero Waste Scotland
● Shanghai FinTech Innovation Data Collaboration – Open Data China

Jeni Tennison, Vice President and Chief Strategy Adviser at the ODI, said:
“It was exciting to see such a diverse range of projects, from across the globe, wanting to come together to learn from the ODI, Microsoft and, most importantly, each other. The selected data collaborations will seek to use shared and open data to tackle key global issues, including climate change, gender equality and disease control. This peer network should both help them to succeed and provide real world insights into what it takes to have a successful collaboration around data.”

Jennifer Yokoyama, Vice President and Chief IP Counsel at Microsoft, said:
“We’re delighted to bring together this first cohort of data collaborations for the new peer learning network in partnership with the ODI. The awardees are working on impressive and foundational work across domains and geographies. By assembling these data collaborations we can learn from each other and experts in data sharing, to ultimately help organizations that are looking to get more value from their data.”

“iKure is excited to win this opportunity to create better value for people they serve.”

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