eDetection is a tool to improve detection for the relevant disease/issue. The relevant algorithm is loaded onto the tablet. It guides CHW to ask proper questions as per approved national/ international guideline. Based on the answers, the application directs the CHW to give proper advice to the client. The application follows a step-by-step process till the symptomatic is proved free of the disease or advised medication by a qualified physician.
It has so far been used for TB, hemophilia, diabetes and mental health/ depression. It helps improve detection of patients and simultaneously improves productivity of CHWs leading to cost reduction.
The results of eDetection are amazing. A team constituted by Government of India and headed by Director of the National TB Institute of India found that, apart from improving detection substantially, eDetection has another tremendous advantage. All TB patients detected by Operation ASHA were expeditiously enrolled in treatment with ZERO initial default. This means that no patient was allowed to go on infecting others, or without therapy. To put this into context, the initial default across India is 15% according to a paper co-authored by Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (who also served as Dy DG and Chief Scientific Officer of the WHO).
Another key component to find new patients in TB (and many other diseases) is Contact Tracing – which is identification and diagnosis of persons who may have come into contact with an infected pulmonary positive TB patient including family members. For this, the eDetection application is slightly modified so the index case and his contacts can be easily monitored.
