LAHORE: The Punjab Social Protection Authority (PSPA) is introducing an android data collection app for its Health & Nutrition – Condition Cash Transfer Programme in order to provide better healthcare facilities for the marginalised pregnant women. Through this app, the PSPA would also be giving Rs 1,000 to each woman on her every checkup visit at the authorised medical centre. This android app would monitor her health during pregnancy and post delivery conditions. The android app is ready for the pilot testing which will be launched in three weeks’ time at Bahawalpur and Muzaffargarh for a test run. The marginalised and poorest of the poor areas and people would be targeted through this programme. The mobile application is supported by Punjab Information Technology Board which has developed the application and would be managing its backend and trouble shooting. The mobile application will be used by the officials of PSPA and service providers and it will be available for them at the Google Play Store. The mobile app will be for the service providers who would be able to use it on the tabs provided by the PSPA. PSPA Programme Director Waqar Azeem informed Daily Times that the pilot run of the app would be launched in three weeks’ time and the team would then start entering data into the app. He said that they had initially involved the experts / consultants from World Bank for research and developing database. “We have carried out all the working on this android app for data collection for Health & Nutrition – Condition Cash Transfer Programme in consultation with the Health Department of Punjab and they have supported us at all stages. The process of research, database development and information gathering was a time taking process and extensive consultations were made with the stakeholders of the project including the policy makers, field experts, lady health workers, lady health visitors and potential beneficiaries. A total budget for PSPA for this year was Rs 70 million and along with other projects, the cost of this app is also included in it. After launching the test run of the app, we would be monitoring it for a while and after resolving any issues which erupt during the test run, it will be launched completely in the selected districts. For this purpose, we have initially selected Bahawalpur and Muzaffargarh. We have so far gathered that there would be 45,000 potential women beneficiaries of this programme in next two years,” Waqar Azeem added. He further said, “We will be giving Rs 1,000 to the pregnant females on their visit to the District Health Quarter or Tehsil Heath Quarter and this will encourage them to see a qualified doctor instead of a quack. The data of those females would be entered in the android application and it will keep a track of the females’ health. In case there is some threat to any woman during pregnancy the application will generate an alert and the service provider will communicate it to the patient and give proper medical facility. With the help of the application our service providers will also keep a track record of the child who is born until the time of two years after birth. All the vaccinations and healthcare facilities will be provided to the child as well by tracking the record on application.” Talking to Daily Times, PSPA Deputy Chief Executive Officer Tahir Raza said that the Health & Nutrition – Condition Cash Transfer Programme was to benefit the child and mother health. He said that the application was designed to look after the females expecting a child birth in the poor areas and those who could not bear the cost of frequently visiting the doctors due to their economic conditions. “This system is being introduced for the first time here in Pakistan. We have selected these areas after proxy means test and having extensive focus groups. We will be paying Rs 1,000 to each female during pregnancy and until the vaccination of the child born, so that they are encouraged to visit a professional doctor and their expenses on commuting are minimised,” he said. He concluded that once the application gets successful in pilot testing it will be used in entire Punjab. Published in Daily Times, May 11th 2018.