In the ancient city where tradition runs deep, a quiet digital revolution is transforming how women experience pregnancy and motherhood. The newly launched e-SAATHI WhatsApp Chatbot is emerging as a lifeline for thousands of pregnant and lactating mothers in Varanasi, bringing stage-based guidance, real-time support, and health empowerment directly to their phones.
Built to deliver the right information at the right time, e-SAATHI — short for Electronic Support and Assistance for Timely Health Information — is not just another government app. It acts like a personal health companion, speaking to each woman in simple language, understanding her stage of pregnancy, and answering questions she may hesitate to ask during hospital visits.
A Tool Born From a Real Need
Varanasi’s maternal health indicators reveal the urgency of such innovation:
●38% women are anaemic
●Only 51% complete 4+ ANC visits
●Just 30% consistently consume iron–folic acid for 100 days
Doctors and health workers agree that the challenge isn’t just access — it’s awareness. Many women lack clear guidance, confidence, and continuity of care. e-SAATHI bridges this gap by bringing credible, stage-appropriate health information straight into their hands.
The model isn’t entirely new — its first success story comes from Assam, where the chatbot launched in 2023. But Varanasi is the first major Uttar Pradesh district to adopt it with such scale and ambition.
What Makes e-SAATHI Stand Out?
Unlike typical health portals that overwhelm users, e-SAATHI is built for everyday women — rural, urban, educated, or not. Its power lies in simplicity.
1. Quick & Easy Onboarding
Women join by scanning a QR code and answering only three questions:
●Preferred language
●Age
●Expected date of delivery / last menstrual period
For new mothers, only “date of delivery” is needed.
2. Personalized Weekly Messages
The chatbot sends 2–3 WhatsApp messages every week, tailored for:
●Early pregnancy
●Late pregnancy
●Postpartum stage
Content includes text, audio, and short videos in Hindi, English, and Assamese.
3. Healthcare Worker Integration
Local ASHAs, ANMs, and Anganwadi workers actively:
●Help women join
●Answer doubts
●Review feedback
●Strengthen follow-up care
4. Feedback That Improves Hospitals
Women can report:
●What checks were done
●Whether they were examined respectfully
●Any concerns they want the system to know
Their responses feed into real-time dashboards used by hospitals to improve service quality.
How Women Benefit
Once enrolled, women receive reminders and guidance on:
●ANC visits
●Danger signs during pregnancy
●Diet & supplements
●Birth preparedness
●Newborn care
●Breastfeeding
●Postpartum health
For the first time, thousands of women can understand what good care looks like — and demand it.
Varanasi’s First-Year Goal: 25,000 Women
Officials aim to:
●Onboard 25,000 pregnant and lactating women
●Improve awareness of pregnancy danger signs
●Increase IFA consumption
●Promote safe delivery practices
●Strengthen postpartum care
A Digital Companion for a Healthier Tomorrow
In Varanasi, e-SAATHI is more than a chatbot — it’s a lifeline. It empowers women who often lack support, ensures they never walk their health journey alone, and strengthens the entire maternal care ecosystem from the bottom up.
As more women sign up, Varanasi moves closer to a future where every mother is informed, confident, and supported — every step of the way.
e-SAATHI is not just technology.
It is trust.
It is guidance.
It is a digital friend protecting maternal health across Varanasi.
