The Universal Health Coverage Day is celebrated every year to promote the physical and mental health and well-being of people belonging to all socio-economic classes. It is endorsed by the United Nations to remind us that everyone, everywhere, needs access to high-quality critical health care at an affordable price.
Thought Behind Universal Health Coverage Day
The United Nations General Assembly approved the Global Health and Foreign Policy resolution on December 12, 2012. It urged countries to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage (UHC).
The UN members acknowledged the need for universal coverage in national health systems, mainly through primary healthcare and social protection mechanisms. The mission is to extend life expectancy for all, achieve universal health coverage and access to quality health care without leaving anyone behind.
Marham’s Contribution towards Universal Health Coverage
Marham, the top digital healthcare platform in Pakistan, has contributed to this cause for the last six years. The aim of Marham is entirely in line with that of the Universal Health Coverage Day, to provide high-quality health care to everyone, everywhere. Let’s look at all the contributions Marham has made for the betterment of Pakistan’s healthcare in the last few years.
Marham’s vision, according to the CEO, Ehsan Imam:
“Our vision is to build a healthcare ecosystem for patients, doctors, and hospitals to ensure faster care and better experience via technology, processes, and telemedicine-enabled micro-clinics across Pakistan.”
1. Online Consultations
Marham is one of the first online healthcare platforms in Pakistan that introduced the idea of Online Consultations to make medical care available for everyone. It has proved to be quite beneficial during the lockdowns caused by COVID and for those living in remote areas. Moreover, what’s interesting is that people living abroad can also use this service and consult online with doctors of Pakistan. About half of Marham’s clients today come from teleconsultations making it the ‘Healthcare Super App of Pakistan.’
2. Free Consultations
Recently, the service of Free Online Consultation was added to Marham. Anyone can consult online with a General Physician or Dietitian by booking an appointment through the Marham App. This makes Marham one of the few healthcare apps that offer consultations without charges to ensure that all people get access to the best medical treatment.
3. Affordable Medical Treatments
Online consultations are not the only service that Marham offers. People of Pakistan belonging to any city can book their in-person appointments with consultants, book lab tests, and get medicine delivery at affordable rates. More than 60 specialties of doctors are listed on the Marham platform, and some offer service charges as low as 100 PKR for each appointment. This is a massive contribution towards making high-quality medical care accessible for everyone from the comfort of their homes.
“Marham will save millions of lives, for years to come, with patients getting quality healthcare from qualified doctors without having to leave their home.” – Asma Omer, COO Marham.
4. Discounts for All
From lab test bookings to medicine delivery in various cities of Pakistan, Marham has been offering many services at discounted rates. By downloading the Marham App, users get 1000 rupees in their wallets which is another initiative taken by the team to support the welfare of people. The Marham App can be downloaded on both Android and iOS Devices.
Moreover, users can get up to 70% off on special offers ranging from doctor’s appointments to lab tests and various skincare treatments.
5. Best Medical Information
Many people in Pakistan are unaware of the type of medical treatment they need and are often misguided by others. For this very purpose, Marham was created to provide healthcare information to those in need, so no one has to suffer. The Marham Forum is an excellent service offered by the platform where anyone can ask for medical advice and get authentic information from qualified doctors of the country for free.
Moreover, Marham’s Health blog publishes numerous informative articles in English and Urdu to educate the readers about various health-related issues. Lastly, the platform frequently posts interviews of the most qualified doctors talking about common medical conditions and their solutions on the Marham YouTube Channel to make this information accessible for people all over the world.
The Final Thoughts
Marham has contributed massively towards making healthcare accessible and affordable for the people of Pakistan and hopes to keep growing their services in the future years. It is the only digital healthcare startup in the country that has seen such huge success and growth in just six years. It is all because of its aim to build a healthcare ecosystem across Pakistan.
“There is a lot of work that needs to be done to ensure faster care and better experience for patients. We know our solution is a long-term play for the industry. Considering its impact on human lives, the sensitive nature of the health tech industry makes scaling much more difficult than in other tech sectors. We have put a lot of care into our team, product, and processes to deliver a higher level of service. As evidenced by our numbers and organic growth, the foundation we have established to make this a thriving business is strong. Now it’s time to accelerate our growth and bring more of our vision to life.” -Ehsan Imam, CEO Marham.