The SmartNRP tool will be used for training the PHC health workers in Tamil Nadu under NHM to take the technologies forward
An IIT Madras team at the Centre of Excellence on Virtual Reality (VR) and Haptics, called Experiential Technology Innovation Center (XTIC), has developed skill training tools for healthcare workers in rural areas to reduce Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) and Maternal Mortality Rate identified, in partnership with National Health Mission (NHM) of Tamil Nadu
Using Virtual Reality (VR), Gaming Technologies, cloud, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), the SmartNRP tool will be used for training the PHC health workers in Tamil Nadu under NHM to take the technologies forward. This will be scaled subsequently to other states in India where NMR is very high.
Darez Ahamed IAS, mission director, National Heath Mission Tamil Nadu, released the ‘SmartNRP project’ IIT Madras for rural healthcare workers in the presence of professor V Kamakoti, director, IIT Madras, professor Mahesh Panchagnula, dean (alumni and corporate relations), IIT Madras, professor M Manivannan head of XTIC, J Kumudha, expert neonatologist and other stakeholders.
“If you look at Infant Mortality, the biggest contributor is Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) which is death within 28 days of birth. Around 40 babies are lost per every 1,000 births. We want to bring this down to single digits and all these initiatives are towards this direction. We assure that these tools will now be provided to the healthcare workers in delivery points and we will also have special training points, ” Ahamed said.
Further, Ahamed has also released the ‘SmartFHR project’ to reducing Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), aimed at monitoring foetal health using smartphones anywhere and anytime without clinical assistants. This project also will be scaled subsequently to other states where MMR is very high.
“IIT Madras should also develop tools to train healthcare workers on various other areas such as treating accident victims, among numerous others. These tools proves that there are numerous other areas that VR can be utilized. Tamil Nadu will use these tools to improve newborn health,” Ahamed added.
Original News Link
https://www.iitm.ac.in/happenings/press-releases-and-coverages/iit-madras-develops-virtual-reality-tools-combat-newborn
