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“Using Technology to Improve Service Delivery for the Poor” Jan 16-17, 2006, New Delhi Experience over the past five decades shows that extensive use of technology has been a significant factor in the rapid improvement of living standards. In fact, evidence suggests that inability to create access to technology for the poor and vulnerable communities is one of the prime factors for their low quality of life. Janani believes that the rapid strides made in technologies have not benefited the development sector in India as much as they could have. Such technologies and systems will be particularly relevant to reach services to the poor. There has, however, been no concerted effort to bring all available technologies under one roof so that service delivery organizations can benefit from them. Janani, a non-profit Indian society and an affiliate of DKT International, the second largest social marketing organization in the world, seeks to fill this vacuum. A two-day workshop in Delhi is being organized on January 16 and 17, 2006, which will bring together organizations developing these technologies to with organizations that can potentially use them. Technology here is not defined in limited terms of machines and materials. It is more of, as Prof Clayton Christiansen at the Harvard Business School defined, a set of processes which transforms labour, capital, materials and information into products and services of higher value. Access to technology has two dimensions: discovery and delivery. Some of the discoveries have simplified procedures (think of pregnancy, HIV or malaria rapid tests or pioneering work on neonatal care). Others have strengthened ways to deliver these benefits to people who need them. Janani uses technology extensively Highly sophisticated pharmaceutical products or surgical skills, for instance, are delivered on a platform of a modern service delivery and marketing. Such an approach enables the programme to operate on a scale that can supplement the public sector’s impact. (Janani currently delivers 21% of family planning protection in Bihar.) Janani’s networks are extensive: 40,000 rural centres, 505 medical clinics and 40,000 shops. Technology has simplified provision of services and also has emerged as an economic opportunity for local entrepreneurs. Rural centers are trained to do over-the-counter dipstick tests for pregnancy and illnesses. The use of Simputers by the Janani sales team to collect and transmit data is another example of simple technology being used with minimal infrastructure. Use of minilaprotomy instead of the more complicated laparoscopy to perform family planning sterilizations helps provision of services even in low-resource interior areas where it may not be possible to have post graduate doctors and expensive equipment required for the laparoscopy method. Janani is also trying to explore effective ways of making blood availability easier. Processes like management information systems are used to constantly improve service delivery and cost efficiency. Two Broad Components The workshop will have two components: This being the first year, Janani will not charge the organisations for their participation. In future, a charge may be levied to cover the costs. The meeting will be held at the India Habitat Center on Lodhi Road on January 16 and 17, 2006. About 250-300 participants can attend the presentations and about 15 stalls can be put up.
Tech Meet Report Tech Meet Report( PDF 205K) Noah Sprafkin Tech Meet Brief( PDF 102K) Paper from Mr. Keerti Pradhan( PDF 178K) For further information please contact: Ms. Dharni Gupta |
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