By Y.S. Rana , CHANDIGARH: The visionary initiative of former Deputy Commissioner Ajit Balaji Joshi has successfully turned into a nationwide reality. Following Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda’s visit to PGIMER on August 1, the Students’ Alliance for Responsible Action to Transform Healthcare Institutes (Project SARATHI) is all set to leave its footprint on the national map.
During his visit, the Health Minister chaired a high-level review meeting to outline the immediate expansion of Project SARATHI across central government hospitals and medical institutions. The core focus remains on significantly improving the overall patient experience through the deployment of trained youth volunteers.
Enhancing Patient-Centric Healthcare
Project SARATHI aims to assist patients and their attendants, strengthening community participation in public healthcare while easing the administrative burden on medical staff.
During the meeting, Minister Nadda stressed that patient-centric healthcare extends far beyond medical treatment. It includes ensuring that patients and their anxious families receive timely guidance, logistical assistance, and compassionate support throughout their hospital visit. He noted that SARATHI has perfectly demonstrated how structured volunteer engagement can improve convenience, allowing healthcare professionals to focus entirely on clinical responsibilities.
The initiative’s impact is already highly quantifiable. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW):
-
More than 2,500 volunteers have been mobilized to date.
-
Volunteers have contributed over 1.5 lakh service hours.
-
A recent study by the Department of Community Medicine at PGIMER found that patients assisted under the initiative experienced a 26 per cent reduction in overall hospital navigation time.
Digital Integration with MY Bharat
A major point of discussion during the high-level meeting was the integration of the initiative with digital platforms. Moving forward, Project SARATHI will be linked directly with the MY Bharat digital platform to streamline:
-
Volunteer registration and attendance tracking.
-
Patient feedback mechanisms.
-
On-ground support for Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) ID creation.
The meeting also established strict institutional safeguards to ensure that volunteers complement healthcare services without ever taking on medical, clinical, or administrative responsibilities. The expansive review was attended by senior officials from the Ministries of Health and Youth Affairs, alongside representatives from AIIMS New Delhi, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, and PGIMER Chandigarh.
The Chandigarh Origin Story
Project SARATHI’s journey began in 2018 when institutions with NSS Cells were requested to nominate students for this noble service. Initially, 120 volunteers stepped forward and were meticulously trained in association with the Chandigarh Red Cross Society.
To ensure continuous support, a structured roster was established, deploying volunteers in groups of five across three daily shifts:
-
Morning Shift: 7:00 AM to 12:00 Noon
-
Afternoon Shift: 12:00 Noon to 5:00 PM
-
Evening Shift: 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM
PGIMER Chandigarh provided a dedicated space to run a permanent “help desk,” issuing official identity cards to the trained NSS volunteers. Over the years, more than 1,200 student volunteers from regional institutions, including Panjab University and local government colleges, have contributed to the cause.
Having successfully reduced average patient wait times at PGIMER, the local initiative has already seen successful replication at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Sector 32, paving the way for its highly anticipated nationwide rollout.
