The Covid-19 pandemic put a huge strain on the health system, making visible the gaps that still exist even in urban metros like Bangalore. A strong primary and preventive health system reduces the load on secondary and tertiary health facilities and helps people lead healthier, more productive lives. Many health issues can be diagnosed and managed at the primary and preventive care level, before they become chronic or lifelong conditions. The biggest opportunity for Anahat is to demonstrate a robust operating model for running an urban PHC that responds to the onground health needs of the community we serve, and to advocate for the implementation of preventive health programmes layered on top of primary healthcare.

Our team has been with us pretty much since inception, and has demonstrated a high level of commitment towards furthering Anahat’s mission of providing access to affordable healthcare despite facing many challenges along the way, the Covid-19 pandemic being just one such challenge.

I started my career in advertising, writing copy for shampoo, credit cards, airlines and cars. 6 years in, I couldn’t do it any more because I wanted to do work that mattered and that created positive change. So I switched to the social sector, working on water conservation and management as well as sanitation at Arghyam, literacy and education at Pratham Books and now on health at Anahat which I co-founded. I finally have an opportunity to work directly with communities at Anahat, which is what I had always wanted to do. My previous work experience at other nonprofits enabled me to understand the social sector and how it works, and primed me to lead my own organisation as I am today.