Sangoshthi: a mobile learning platform for community health workers in india

Abstract

The Government of India started its flagship programme 'ASHA' under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) which delivers health care services to the rural population and has a key focus on pregnable sections like women and children. NRHM identifies one literate woman in each village as Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) (also called a Community Health Worker: CHW) who is often the first point of call for health-care services in rural communities. However, the ASHAs themselves receive inadequate training and skill enhancing opportunities. Several studies have pointed out to evidence showing their sub-optimal performance and high- lighted the need for alternative training methods. Technology based solutions like e-learning face feasibility challenges due to poor infrastructure, low-literacy rates and financial limitations in resource constrained environments.We propose Sangoshthi, a mobile based, peer learning platform for ASHAs that uses IVR and Internet to host real-time video interactions using basic smart phones. Additionally, it also exposes a vast set of knowledge base curated by professional Doctors in the form of audio and video clips for ASHAs to watch and learn from anywhere and anytime.We present our insights on the usability and perceived usefulness of Sangoshthi as a training and learning platform that can complement existing capacity building approaches..