Reliance Foundation (RF), RIL’s philanthropic arm, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Medical, Health and Family Welfare Department, Government of Rajasthan, for the implementation of Project ASMAN in the four districts of Ajmer, Bhilwara, Jhalawar and Kota. ASMAN has partnered with the National Health Mission to accelerate the reduction of maternal and early neonatal mortalities at government healthcare facilities in these four districts.
The event, held at RHSDP Hall in Swasthya Bhawan, Jaipur, was attended by the Honourable Health Minister of Rajasthan Sh. Kali Charan Saraf, Principal Secretary Smt. Veenu Gupta, Addl. Mission Director Sh. B L Kothari, Director of Public Health & Family Welfare Dr V K Mathur, and several dignitaries from the National Health Mission, Rajasthan.
Project ASMAN is a unique healthcare initiative that leverages multiple technology-based healthcare innovations to support safe health outcomes after childbirth and improve maternal and new-born health. A partnership between RF, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, MSD India, Tata Trusts and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the project aims to facilitate the availability of quality healthcare under the five pillars of the Government of India’s Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Programme (RMNCH+A).
One of the key interventions in the project is the formation of Remote Support Centres(RSCs) manned by specialists, which provide timely decision-making support for remotely-located healthcare providers. The project also aims to provide other technology-based interventions such as e-partographs, use gamification techniques to aid healthcare providers during the management of complications, and facilitate referral management for critical cases.
A major contributor in this initiative, RF performs multiple important functions in the partnership, including overall governance, advocacy and selection of implementation agencies for the project. The programme management unit for the project is based at Reliance Foundation. Speaking about RF’s role in the programme, a representative of the Foundation said, “We at Reliance Foundation believe that every life must be cared for. We strive for a healthy India, where no mother is lost to childbirth and every child can live life to his or her fullest potential. The Foundation strongly believes that technology is an enabler and accelerator, and through this unique technology-based initiative and its collaborative approach, significant progress will be made towards steering the nation towards making a mark in the Sustainable Developmental Goals.”
