Sandeep Kumar: From Vision to Reality in Healthcare Innovation

In international recognition for the indomitable spirit of Indian social workers and young entrepreneurs, a cancer survivor, Sandeep Kumar, who single-handedly created a network of tele-medicine centres for rural people has been selected for Forbes 30 Under 30 in Asia, a prestigious recognition that celebrates the achievements of young individuals.  

Sandeep Kumar, who hails from Uttar Pradesh’s Sant Kabir Nagar, is the founder of DigiSwasthya Foundation which has made it to the Social Impact Category of the American list that acknowledges 600 notable figures across various industries, with 30 individuals selected in each of 20 categories.

Early Life and Inspiration

When Sandeep Kumar was 12-years-old, he was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a type of bone cancer. It took several rounds of district and city hospitals over a span of six months to get the right diagnosis and start treatment. Sandeep hails from Kathaicha, a rural village in Sant Kabir Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh. Growing up, the lack of access to efficient healthcare in the village meant that people had to travel almost 65 km to Gorakhpur, the nearest city for specialised treatment.

He had found a cancer in the right humerus bone.  they travelled to Mumbai to seek further treatment at the Tata Memorial Hospital. Things started getting painful and one month was passed in a battery of tests, a biopsy, and six chemotherapy cycles. He had to undergo a surgery for replacement of the humerus bone. The process was draining–He was feeling angry, resignation, and grief, and wondered whether He would recover.

The treatment cost Rs 4.5 lakh and he was fortunate to receive help from government agencies, NGOs, and support from friends and family. it took six months of physiotherapy for him to regain movement of his right hand. And throughout this period, and even though he was young at the time, what played in his mind after seeing the helplessness of many patients was how he could help them in the future

Founding DigiSwasthya Foundation

In the heart of rural Uttar Pradesh, where life unfolds at a leisurely pace amidst the verdant fields and bustling villages, a young cancer survivor embarked on a journey that would change the landscape of healthcare forever. Sandeep Kumar, who won the battle against childhood cancer, a year marked by unprecedented challenges due to the pandemic and unforeseen opportunities related to online. Fuelled by his own experiences of navigating the labyrinth of healthcare systems, he envisioned a world where quality healthcare was not a luxury, but a fundamental right.

With a strong determination to bridge the gaping chasm of healthcare inequality that plagued rural communities, he set out to establish DigiSwasthya — a telemedicine venture aimed at bringing expert care to the doorstep of rural India.

he launched a “Phygital” – physical plus digital – teleconsultation platform named DigiSwasthya in July 2020

Achievements and Impact

We aim to work with the government to leverage existing infrastructure and provide electronic health records to our patients. We have not been alone in this journey. Through support from Youth Co:Lab, an initiative co-led by UNDP and Citi Foundation, we received invaluable mentorship and guidance to expand our impact, as well as a grant of $25,000 dollars. DigiSwasthya was shortlisted by Niti Ayog for incubation. “Our organisation was also awarded by the FICCI, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre. We have been fortunate to receive generous support from esteemed partners like Social Venture Partner (SVP India), Augnito, Business Development Foundation, Sarcoma Patients Advocacy Global Network (SPAGN), the Indian School of Development Management (ISDM), Stanford University, ZEISS India, Impact Foundation (India), Rich Products & Solutions Pvt Ltd, Druva Data Solutions Pvt Ltd, Seventh Sense Talent Solutions, INKUS Charitable Trust.

Challenges and Perseverance

In 2020, he was visiting his village when the country went into lockdown. He perceived things had not changed much the healthcare system remained fragmented, and people still found it difficult to access specialists or specialised care

He spoke to the doctors at different hospitals. He had frequented as part of his work, a few technical experts and with advice from the district Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and started a telemedicine centre in Sant Kabir Nagar under the DigiSwasthya Foundation, Initially, He facilitated telephone and video-calling to experts from his own home and then moved it to a 200 sq. ft centre in the village. People were sceptical at first about reaching out to doctors via video calls. They wondered what kind of consultation it was without injections or talking to the doctor in person. He was able to convince them that they now had access to some of the best doctors from the top hospitals in the country. He has on board doctors from Tier-I city hospitals like AIIMS, Apollo, Hinduja Hospitals, Tata Memorial Hospitals, JJ Hospital, Wadia Hospital, KEM Hospital, Lilavati Hospital, Sion Hospital, and others. Some doctors charge a nominal fee from the clinic while others work pro bono. No fee is charged from the patients.

Vision for the Future
We have an ambitious dream of reaching every corner of India and establishing 100 telemedicine centres by 2027 by tapping into a network of retired doctors who offer free consultation.

Community and Mentorship

DigiSwasthya’s Phygital model combines physical and digital elements to provide accurate healthcare services to remote areas. It includes:

Telemedicine Centres: Setting up a network of telemedicine clinics in every aspirational district to connect rural populations with healthcare experts.

Health Camps: Conducting health camps in remote areas to promote early disease detection and preventive healthcare.

Awareness Campaigns: Conducting expert webinars, Nukkad Natak’s, and door-to-door awareness campaigns to educate communities about various diseases and existing government health-sector schemes.

By implementing these initiatives, DigiSwasthya aims to improve healthcare outcomes, reduce economic burdens, and contribute to the overall well-being of the underrepresented sections of society across India.

Conclusion

DigiSwasthya Foundation is a Section-8 not-for-profit organization in India, making quality healthcare accessible and affordable for marginalized communities by leveraging technology. With 171+ expert medical practitioners, DigiSwasthya enables expert opinion to reach the last mile for early detection and timely treatment to improve the quality of life for the most marginalized communities facing a lack of access to quality healthcare due to socio-economic constraints. DigiSwasthya has served 56,333-plus underserved patients across rural and marginalized areas with 56,333+ expert teleconsultations and 58,213-plus health check-ups through 5 telemedicine centres (across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar) and 16,03+ health camps.

At a DigiSwasthya centre a patient is greeted by a staff member who conducts basic health checks. Depending on their ailment, they are connected online to a general physician or a specialist. We provide prescriptions and even offer medicine concessions and referrals to local pharmacies and diagnostic centres. We have an ambitious dream of reaching every corner of India and establishing 100 telemedicine centres by 2027 by tapping into a network of retired doctors who offer free consultations. We aim to work with the government to leverage existing infrastructure and provide electronic health records to our patients. We have not been alone in this journey. Through support from Youth Co: Lab, an initiative co- led by UNDP and Citi Foundation, we received invaluable mentorship and guidance to expand our impact, as well as a grant of 25,000 dollars. We hope to get more hands-on deck – volunteers, donors, partners — and anyone who shares our vision of a healthier tomorrow. We want to prioritize preventive care, raise awareness, and support those battling diseases. Big dreams can help us reach our destinations. Together, let’s make healthcare a reality, for all of rural India.

Your Support Can Save Lives!

To reach out to us, contact – +919987944391 | sandeep@digiswasthya.org 

To know more, click here – https://digiswasthya.org/