NEW DELHI -- Juthika Talukdar peers into her computer screen, studying a website that lists medicine that are available at public health centers in one area of the state of Uttar Pradesh. It is India's most populous, and poorest, state. The list shows how many doses of medicine are left in stock at each center. If the number is in the red, it is time for a top-up.
Health workers in Uttar Pradesh importing medical supply data by using a Logistimo app. © Courtesy of Logistimo The data on the website is directly uploaded by health workers on the ground via an app on their work-issued, old-school Nokia phones. These lack the connectivity and features of smartphones but they are referred to, ironically, as "feature phones" in India. Logistimo, a startup in the southern Indian city of Bangalore, created the app. It is being piloted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, where Talukdar works. Around 40 health centers that cater to 7.4 million people across two districts will no longer be caught short of medical supplies.
