Healthcare is one of the most dynamic, yet challenging, sectors in India, and is expected to grow to USD280 billion by 2020, at a CAGR of upwards of 16%, from the current ~USD100 billion. Yet, it faces major challenges of quality, accessibility and affordability for a large section of the population.

Access to care is a vital but complex element of quality of care since it determines whether a client even gets to the service provider. The available community-based evidence suggests that there is considerable variation in the level of outreach visits by the Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), largely by geographical location, with significantly higher visits in the southern and western than in the north Indian states. In a four-state study conducted over a decade ago, 89% and 93% women surveyed in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka reported having been visited by a female paramedical worker in the last three months, compared with 53% and 61% women from Bihar and West Bengal, respectively. There were also differentials in access to care between urban and rural areas if utilization of care is taken as a proxy for access to care.

Problem Statement: How can AI help healthcare agencies locate maternal healthcare facilities and deploy ANM teams more efficiently in rural areas ?

DataSets: There are Rural Data Sets are available on Data.Gov.In that focuses on ANM availability, Infrastructural information and building positions of Sub Centres Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs). It also contains a state-wise number of Sub Divisional Hospital, District Hospital & Mobile Medical Units. There are also datasets available from WHO that can be used for Maternal Care.

355 million is the number of menstruating women in India, accounting for nearly 30 per cent of the country’s population. Menstruation continues to be a subject of gender disparity in India. Myths about menstruation are largely prevalent, forcing many girls to drop out of school early or be ostracised for the duration of their menstrual cycle every month.

Lack of awareness makes for a major problem in India’s menstrual hygiene scenario. Indian Council for Medical Research’s report stated that only 38 per cent menstruating girls in India spoke to their mothers about menstruation. Many mothers were themselves unaware of what menstruation was, how it was to be explained to a teenager and what practices could be considered as menstrual hygiene management. Schools were not very helpful either as schools in rural areas refrained from discussing menstrual hygiene

Problem Statement: How can we use Social Media Chatter to find educational content on menstruation and create outreach campaigns on awareness of menstruation for girls.