HYDERABAD: Each one of us has loved ones — we’d do anything to ensure they are in the pink of health, wouldn’t we? We want to keep them safe from accidents, diseases, and the smallest health issues. But over the course of a life, anything can happen. So, it is best to be prepared and armed with information on the entire medical system in your city. Keeping this in mind, Milaap, the premier crowdfunding platform, has launched a guidebook titled ‘Making Healthcare Accessible in Hyderabad: A Caregiver’s Handbook’.
Speaking about the idea behind the handbook, Milaap co-founder Anoj Viswananthan says, “For 15 years, Milaap has been a platform for patients to raise money for their treatments, primarily critical care. While the clinical aspect is taken care of by hospitals, we wanted to make people aware through a comprehensive guide book with firsthand information on how to get to a hospital, accommodation options, commuting to the hospital everyday, available blood banks, pharmacies, discounts, ambulances, and so on.”
Anoj elaborated on the contents of the handbook, pointing out that there is information about transportation, apart from a list of major hospitals in Hyderabad. “We have listed 15 government hospitals, a couple of trust hospitals, and private hospitals. For those who come from other countries, we have also provided details on currency exchange processes,” he adds.
The Milaap co-founder was always very clear that the guide should not just cover private hospitals but all hospitals across the city. He credits IAS Divya Devarajan, saying, “She was very encouraging and we were able to get access to hospitals and collect the required information. In the guidebook, we also have a separate section on financial assistance.
For example, what government schemes exist, the associated conditions, income criteria, and how to apply. A lot of this wouldn’t have been possible without her support.” He emphasises that the guide book is a non-commercial initiative and that it should reach as many patients as possible.
IAS Divya, the CEO of Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) and Prajavani State Nodal Officer, states that Prajavani, the CM’s grievance redressal system, was receiving several cases where individuals needed emergency medical support.
“We could cover 99% of the cases through the Arogyashree scheme. We also have the CM relief fund. But there were cases that schemes did not cover and those patients had to go to Bengaluru for treatment. The injections cost crores of rupees,” she recalls.
That’s when the Prajavani team and Telangana Social Impact Group (T-SIG) had a meeting with several organisations, including Milaap. Divya adds, “All these like-minded organisations came together and found what problems people were facing in terms of healthcare facilities. The handbook is a great guide for caregivers.”