1.The Problem
Pakistan, a population of 207 million and one of the fastest growing economies of the world still struggles to provide basic healthcare to 51% of
its total population. Around 40 million people live below the poverty line. Almost 30 % of the population lacks access to even primary health
care facilities. There is an acute deficiency of midwives, nurses, and female paramedical staff in rural area. The current density of nurses and
midwives is about 3.8 per 10,000 Moreover, WHO (2015) reported that out of the 63% of medical students, only 23% are registered with the
Pakistan medical and dental council despite producing nearly 170,000 general physicians and about 40,000 specialists each year according to
the 2016 statistics by PMDC. This can be due to the socio cultural restraints that forbid women to work or due to domestic responsibilities.ON
the other hand unfortunately we still live in a country where women and children in the marginalized populations do not access healthcare.
According to WHO, only 26% of the women residing in rural Pakistan have access to Basic anti-natal care visits while 38% still deliver at
home. Another statistic which states that only 37% of women are able to access quality healthcare because of the distance they need to cover
(Pakistan Demographic Survey 2012-13)
2. The Solution and Introduction to Sehat Kahani:
Based in Pakistan, Sehat Kahani (which means story of health in Urdu) is a for-profit, sustainability focused, health tech social impact initiative,
breeding female micro-entrepreneurs from all segments of society, Sehat Kahani democratizes healthcare by operating three distinct verticals
which focus on provision of healthcare via e-health:
1. Enabling Access - E-Health Hubs: Sehat Kahani creates e-health clinics in the marginalized populations in order to create
access to healthcare. Currently Sehat Kahani has 14 E-Health clinics located in 3 provinces of Pakistan which have reached
out to 53,000 lives directly.
2. Enabling Outreach – Preventive health: Sehat Kahani creates health awareness and messaging in different segments of
society. Currently, Sehat Kahani is working with Engro, GSK and Lifebuoy creating an impact on almost 400,000 lives.
3. Enabling Efficiency - Sehat Kahani Mobile Application: A wholistic mobile and web-based platform, it provides access to
physicians round the clock through a technology-enables device. Currently, Sehat Kahani has launched this platform using the
B2B model ensuring healthcare accessibility to employees and corporate executives through an innovative online virtual OPD
utilizing E-Health.
Through these 3 verticals, Sehat Kahani ensures to fill in the healthcare gap by creating accessibility, efficiency as well as enhanced financial
inclusion for females at all tiers of the workforce including not only female physicians but also Community Health workers, Nurses as well as
Health Educators in the communities.
Through these 3 healthcare verticals Sehat Kahani has reached out and impacted more than 500,000 lives.