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Tag: MedLife

  • How Covid spurred a turnaround for India’s e-pharma industry

    How Covid spurred a turnaround for India’s e-pharma industry

    Mumbai: According to a 2019 EY report, the Indian e-pharma sector was poised to touch $2.7 billion by 2023 from $360 million. The report cited an increase in internet penetration and smartphone ownership, along with the ease of ordering medications through an e-commerce platform and an increase in chronic diseases as some of the key growth drivers for the online pharma industry.

    And this was before the Covid-19 put a gigantic spoke in the wheel of our outdoor activities. And, before it became hara-kiri to step out of one’s house for as mundane a task as purchasing some prescription pills.

    The Covid Tsunami Effect

    One year plus of the tidal onslaught of the Covid tsunami has brought about irrevocable changes into the world. The exponential and fast-tracked tilt towards everything digital was one of them and it was obvious that online pharmacies and healthcare would not be far behind.

    “With limited reach and usage till a year ago, the pandemic has changed the landscape drastically. Lockdowns, restricted movement, and policy initiatives have enabled higher adoption, penetration, and substantial growth,” says digital marketing agency Natter COO Avinash Joshi as he opines on the growth in India’s e-pharma space.

    High caseloads, especially in urban areas coupled with regional lockdowns have compelled consumers to take the online route rather than visit the friendly neighbourhood pharmacies. It’s no longer simply a matter of convenience but about undertaking any added risk by venturing out unnecessarily.

    Driven by the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, India’s e-pharmacy sector is once again witnessing a surge in orders. There has also been a spike in sales of Covid-related products – such as pulse oximeters, personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, oxygen cans, masks, sanitizers, health supplements across major online pharma players, in addition to regular drugs. 

    Overall Growth in the e-Sector

    According to dentsu Impact president Amit Wadhwa, the e-pharma sector in India is still in its nascent stage and while it has been growing rapidly in the last 4-5 years in India, a big surge in that growth happened only over the last one year. “This is not just visible in the industry growth numbers and how we are seeing consumers using/ talking about the platform, but also with the number of new players that we are constantly seeing entering this segment, with even traditional chemists such as Apollo Pharmacy along with big names such as Amazon diving right in,” says Wadhwa.

    As per estimates, 35 per cent of the domestic pharmaceutical market relates to chronic medications and the remainder to acute medicines. E-pharmacies have been targeting the chronic market majorly so far and are expected to scale up the acute medicine market through an improvement in last-mile logistics and collaboration with local pharmacies.

    “In the years to come, people will look at 2020 as ‘the year that changed everything- especially the way we reach out to our end consumers’,” says Hybrid healthcare start up Healthnovo co-founder Rima Sunit. “We see an increasing trend of teleconsultation, online ordering of medicines, etc. Even doctors are now adapting to new methods of providing prescriptions by using digital tools and consulting their patients over a video call. Currently, the Indian market is flooded by online players offering the best services at discounted prices.”

    According to industry trackers, the sector’s growth is on top of an already robust revenue increase of around 35 per cent last year. The second wave and the consequent uptick in orders are setting the industry up for yet another year of strong growth in the range of 30-50 per cent. An almost 3X expansion in the number of users ordering medicines online means the sector is bound to see strong revenue growth this year as well.

    Major players & their marketing game

    Some of the leading players in this race to tap into the burgeoning e-pharma sector are 1mg, Netmeds, Pharmeasy, and Medlife with many new entrants emerging on the scene. In the last few months, brands like PharmEasy have been wooing the customer with a deluge of commercials, amplifying their message of ‘Aapki Health Aapke Haath Mein hai’ (your health is in your hands), with a dash of humour and relatability to the common man.

    Netmeds roped in celebrity brand ambassador, Kareena Kapoor to convey the reliability and safety of their service, coupled with the ease and convenience of access for the customer.

    According to Wadhwa, the brands are focusing their messaging on discounts and ease of delivery as ‘this is a phase where the category is creating awareness and the intent is to gain from the physical chemists’. He adds, “As the category gains more acceptance, we will see a more defined and differentiated messaging/ tonality across at least the key brands where possibly more planks such as trust, presence, etc. might be explored.”

    Reaping the benefits of increased demand, online pharmacies and digital health companies have been passing on some of the paybacks to consumers by offering generous discounts on online purchases. This helped drive up the sales initially, while brands were trying to make a dent in the hitherto traditional Indian pharma market. In the long run, however, discounts may have to come down to reasonable levels to achieve breakeven and any meaningful profitability.

    “With several local & global players in the fray, a lot of money is being spent to own and retain that exclusive audience. These brands are spending big on ATL and driving performance on digital with retargeting, scaling up downloads, offering discounts & referrals. These digital-first brands make use of chat-bots for queries & resolutions, AI & ML for recommendations, and tracking tools & digital payments for fulfilment. They are also spending big on content creation to engage with the user on the right platform,” says Natter COO Avinash Joshi.

    Despite challenges like trust deficit, customer support issues, and remote area access, if the spurt in the e- pharma industry continues, it can aid in the regulation of the Indian pharma space. As e-pharma companies insist on verifying the prescription online before dispensing medicine they are likely to be more structured than their traditional counterparts.

  • Lung health in the times of Covid2019

    Lung health in the times of Covid2019

    Covid2019 has been majorly classified as a virus that harms the respiratory system, and like other respiratory syndromes, places moderate strain on the lungs. Our lungs processes and helps in the distribution of oxygen in the body which is essential to sustain life. It is therefore extremely important to ensure lung health, especially during these times, in order to be able to put up a fight against the infection that mostly takes the respiratory route to enter the person. Recovery from any infectious disease relies a lot on an individual’s immunity system and by far, Covid2019 has certainly put our abilities to test.

    Covid2019, the disease caused by coronavirus can cause lung complications like pneumonia, acute respiratory distress, and in some fatal cases, total collapse of the lungs. In case of pneumonia caused by this virus, the air sacs in the lungs are filled with fluid and the valves of the lungs get inflamed, leading to breathing difficulties accompanied by coughing. While most people recover from pneumonia without any lasting lung damage, this particular virus may cause breathing difficulties that take longer to withdraw completely.

    In cases of acute respiratory diseases, as the pneumonia progresses, more of the air sacs fill up with fluid, leaking from the blood vessels in the lungs. This eventually results in severe shortness of breath that may lead to acute respiratory problems.

    Such levels of infection happen, in most cases, to people with pre-existing co-morbid conditions. These conditions could be uncontrolled blood sugar in a diabetic patient, uncontrolled blood pressure in a hypertensive patient, uncontrolled cholesterol in a cholesterol patient and uncontrolled thyroid in a thyroid patient. While these four conditions may not be related directly to lung damage, they play a huge role in reducing the overall immunity of a patient.

    People with pre-existing lung ailments like breathing irregularities, wheezing, asthma or bronchitis are also at a risk for Covid2019 because there are underlying causes to it. People are allergic to pollen, fine dust particles, and even some proteins that cause such difficulties. The simple solution is for such people to stay away from these to maintain their lung health. Such people are also prescribed inhalers and medicines to be taken regularly, irrespective of a virus attack. As long as they keep their immunity strong, they are at no higher risk of contracting the coronavirus.

    Measures to keep lungs healthy

    Two functions determine over all lung health – Lung capacity, which is the extent to which lungs can expand. This comes from genetics. The second is, Lung function, which is the processing of oxygen and distribution to the body. This function grows till the age of 25, after which it gradually reduces. Improving lung function should be the primary aim and this can be achieved by exercises.

    Physical Exercise

    A minimum of 30 minutes for adults and 60 minutes for children every day is imperative to keep any lung distress at bay. Physical exercise allows us to take deeper breaths than usual, expand and contract the lung inner valves and ensures optimum oxygen saturation levels, to ensure healthy lung functions. It also keeps a check on the haemoglobin and RBC level in the blood to ensure unrestricted flow to and from the lungs.

    Running, brisk walking, cycling, swimming are all good examples of suggested physical exercises. Aerobics help in removing carbon dioxide from the blood while strength training helps strengthen the thoracic muscles and core strength, which are important for breathing. Strengthening these muscles can greatly help a person affected by Covid2019. Substituting these with gentler forms of exercise like Yoga is not advisable. These exercises must be performed out in the open air, as opposed to a confined room with air-conditioning.

    For older people or for individuals with physical limitations, deep breathing exercises are recommended. They must take deep breaths every hour. This helps in mobilising unused parts of the lungs.

    Eating right

    It has been ascertained that people with underlying conditions like diabetes and obesity seem to fair worse when faced with Covid2019 infection. This could be due to chronic inflammation which influences the body on releasing inflammatory proteins called cytokines. These cause short term inflammation which can help heal the body. However, chronic inflammation throughout the body can trigger a reverse, overreactive immune response that can cause organ damage. These are also responsible for severe lung damage and death in Covid2019 patients.

    The best way to reduce chronic inflammation is to ensure proper nutrition, particularly with foods high in antioxidants like fruits and vegetables. Bananas, apples, tomatoes and grapes are all rich in natural antioxidants and can reduce inflammation over time. Foods rich in Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids, found in salmon help in boosting the immune system to prepare for any virus attacks.

    Kicking the butt

    Over the last few years, lifestyle has not just changed for good, it has also changed for the worse. One of the worst ‘lifestyle change’ is smoking. Smokers are more at risk from developing Covid2019 complications and there cannot be a more opportune time to get rid of this habit. Smoking is linked to inflammation and lowering of the immune function in the lung’s airways. This can increase the likelihood of complications if exposed to Covid2019. It destroys lung tissue, narrows air passages, and is a major cause of cancer, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema, among other intense ailments.

    Medical experts can see remarkable difference in the lungs as early as 12 hours from the time of quitting, when the blood pressure returns to normal. In a week to ten days after quitting, lung function returns to normal when the individual can take deep breaths without coughing. In five years, the risk of heart attacks becomes equivalent to that of a non-smoker.

    For patients with lung damage, treatment is a factor that plays an important role and recovery depends on how quickly they are diagnosed and treated, which can also reduce lung damage considerably. While timely treatment is important, one must practice good habits to ensure healthy lungs in the first place. Proper nutrition, good exercise, and hydration can go a long way in helping people avoid complications.

    (The author is Medlife e-pharmacy director. The views expressed are his own and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them)

  • Medlife goes multilingual, to be offered in eight languages

    Medlife goes multilingual, to be offered in eight languages

    MUMBAI: e-Health platform Medlife becomes the first in the sector to integrate multiple languages on its mobile and desktop applications, enabling people from all parts of the country to interact and engage with the platform more easily. To begin with, the platform has enabled the option of Hindi and will soon integrate Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi and Gujarati.  

    Strong internet penetration and the affordability of smartphones have led to the growth of online commerce in small towns and villages across the country, which accounts for over 50 per cent of business for most e-commerce companies. One of the factors that continues to stall full-fledged development or growth of digital platforms across Bharat, is the language barrier. Though India is the second largest English-speaking nation in the world, only 12 per cent of the people speak English, whereas Hindi is spoken by more than 40 per cent of the population and over 20 other languages are native to the rest. This clearly highlights the need to integrate more languages on to a commerce or trade platform in a multicultural society as ours.

    With this integration, Medlife is set to engage with over twice the number of its present user base, or 10 million new customers, offering them the benefits of high-quality, end-to-end healthcare services, in a more personalized format.  

    “We believe adding vernacular capabilities to Medlife’s platform will play a crucial role in not only ensuring language is not a hindrance for any user seeking to avail our services but also in accelerating the consumer transition to online technologies in Tier II, Tier III and rural cities. This also makes Medlife the first and only e-Health platform to expand its platform to regional languages and highlights our dedication to make e-Health simple, personal, accessible and affordable using technology in India,” said Medlife co-founder and CEO Ananth Narayanan.

    The integration of additional languages and the technological aspects associated with it are being undertaken in-house by Medlife.

  • Medlife partners with Snapdeal to bring medicine delivery, lab testing services

    Medlife partners with Snapdeal to bring medicine delivery, lab testing services

    MUMBAI: Medlife had announced its partnership with Snapdeal enabling users to order medicines and avail full body health check-ups and curative diagnostic tests through the Snapdeal platform. With this partnership, Medlife aims to take its flagship healthcare services to the homes of millions of people across the country, at affordable prices.

    Users of Snapdeal can readily order medicines online, with a valid prescription through this partnership. Medlife’s dedicated delivery personnel,  equipped with the necessary safety equipment, will deliver the order at the customer’s doorstep within 24 hours following order confirmation.

    With a vast array of tests on offer, including diabetes screening and thyroid profiling tests, Medlife also seeks to encourage, at-risk patients and those with chronic conditions, to take up essential tests from the comfort of their homes during this difficult time.

    In addition to this, there is also the option of testing for Covid2019 at home, for users of Snapdeal, undertaken through the association with Medlife, if patients meet certain criteria.

    After scheduling a test through Snapdeal’s platform, a certified-and-trained phlebotomist from Medlife will arrive at a pre-decided time slot to collect samples. Users do not incur any additional charges for sample collection and test results are shared within 48 hours in most cases.

    “The availability of lab tests and medicines on Snapdeal serves a crucial need of our users and offers them a safe way to fulfil their medical needs. With Medlife’s reach, we will bring the convenience of medical testing from home and medicine delivery to our users in more than 400 big and small cities across India,” said a Snapdeal spokesperson.

    “Medlife’s partnership with Snapdeal is an initiative undertaken not only to accelerate consumers’ transition to online platforms for purchasing medicines and diagnostic lab tests, but also to encourage social distancing from the perspective of safety. With millions of users, Snapdeal is an ideal partner to help bring Medlife’s affordable healthcare services into the homes of anxious patients, who are putting themselves at risk by delaying essential tests. As the world grapples with the uncertainty caused by Covid2019, we are intent on ensuring vulnerable patients continue to take essential medicines and tests from the comfort of their homes,” said Medlife head of revenue Bhavesh Singhal.

    Medlife’s on-ground personnel, phlebotomists and lab technicians follow strict guidelines on safety and go through regular temperature checks, apart from using all the necessary protective equipment for their own safety and that of customers or patients. In addition to these measures, cleaning and sterilization of lab premises is also undertaken regularly.

  • Medlife CMO Meera Iyer praises health warriors

    Medlife CMO Meera Iyer praises health warriors

    MUMBAI: COVID-19 has forced the population to stay indoors; and industries are moving their functions to online. In this unprecedented situation, citizens are counting on the essential service workers who are risking their health to keep the society running smoothly. Some of them have been working silently without us realising that how important they are. Leaders from the media and entertainment industry express their gratitude to healthcare providers and other essential services personnel for their support during the pandemic.

  • Medlife provides workforce with medical insurance cover for Covid-19

    Medlife provides workforce with medical insurance cover for Covid-19

    MUMBAI: Medlife an e-Health platform announced extension of medical insurance cover for its employees to include Covid-19. This is applicable to all employees, which includes about 1,700 on-roll and 1,200 off-roll employees.

    Being in the business of delivering medicines to the doorsteps of millions of people across India, Medlife considers it imperative, especially for on-ground workforce, to be sufficiently protected against the risks associated with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

    Apart from the standard coverage, the new package has earmarked rupees one lakh for treatment associated with Coronavirus for contract employees, for a period of 3 months from now. On-roll employees are covered in the range of one to five lakh rupees, for up to 9 months from now.   

    Medlife CEO and co-founder Ananth Narayanan said:  “We are now looking forward to quicker order fulfilments, with the government and police ensuring necessary steps for hassle-free movement of our consignments and delivery personnel. With more staff members returning to deliver medicines to the doorsteps of our customers, we are providing them with insurance that covers Covid-19, which is a necessary and important step for their safety, considering the important role they are playing at this time.”

  • Medlife’s team delivering through lockdown

    Medlife’s team delivering through lockdown

    MUMBAI: With the imposition of complete lockdown by the government to counter the spread of the novel Coronavirus, Medlife will be ensuring the continuous availability of medicines for patients through its 2000-man delivery team across 4000 cities and 20,000 pin codes.

    While there have been significant challenges for the delivery teams and logistics since the announcement of lockdown, including indiscriminate lathi-charge on some delivery boys, the Medlife delivery team is committed to ensuring that no patient goes unattended. There is also significant logistics disruption of medicines from manufacturing units to fulfillment centers due to random stoppages of vehicles.

    Said Medlife co-founder and CEO Ananth Narayanan, “The indiscriminate use of force and against delivery personnel specifically exempted by the government and the lifeline during the shutdown is of grave concern. Delivery of critical services has to be free of harassment and violence. We request the state governments and concerned authorities to ensure that strict instructions are given to the police to permit delivery personnel with valid documentation to perform their duties in these times of crisis.”

    In order to boost the morale of its employees, especially the delivery force, the management is undertaking frequent meetings at fulfillment centers, with all necessary precautions, including social distancing and also through video conferencing. Employees are hailed as heroes, making a huge difference to the nation in this hour of crisis.  

    Medlife is working closely with its 8200 suppliers and government authorities to ensure uninterrupted movement of drugs and supplies, for both, first and last-mile delivery across the country.  Currently, demand for masks and sanitizers are up by 50X, while chronic patients continue to order in excess, post the announcement of a 21-day lockdown.

    Narayanan added, “Our mission right now is to enable a hassle-free passage of supplies, for both, first and last-mile deliveries.”

  • Colors Tamil’s ‘Kodeeswari’ ropes in Colgate as presenting sponsor

    Colors Tamil’s ‘Kodeeswari’ ropes in Colgate as presenting sponsor

    MUMBAI: Viacom18’s Tamil general entertainment channel, Colors Tamil is all set to launch Kodeeswari starting 23 December. The show adapts the popular television game format of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire to have only female contestants with the aim of empowering women from all walks of life, and give wings to small dreams. The show has bagged Colgate as the presenting sponsor, with overall seven sponsor in their bucket. On the video-on-demand platform VOOT, the show has roped in Medlife as the online pharmacy partner while Nippon Paint has come on board as the co- powered by sponsor.

    Last week the channel has announced six sponsors coming on board of Kodeeswari- Nippon Paint, Arun Excello and RIN as powered by sponsors; Kotak Mahindra Bank as the banking partner; and Tamil Matrimony App and Helo App as special partners.

    The show will be hosted by the iconic superstar of Tamil Cinema, Radikaa Sarathkumar and in a first ever, there will be only women on the Hot Seat. Even before the launch, the show has witnessed a lot of attention from brands across categories.

    Viacom18  network sales head Mahesh Shetty says, “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire has been a trailblazer on television and has been loved by audiences across the world and in India. Being the first ever all-women edition, our endeavour through this show is to encourage strong willed women to challenge stereotypes and live their dreams. Kodeeswari has garnered a lot of attention and interest even before its launch, not only among viewers but also brands. The purpose of this show is so focused and powerful that we have a plethora of brands which have jumped on board across platforms. We have roped in seven sponsors for the show on Colors Tamil. For VOOT, the show has caught the attention of brands with two sponsors. We have also secured five sponsors for our international feed which will take this show to Tamil audiences in Singapore, Malaysia and USA.”

    VOOT will keep its digital viewers attuned with  various opportunities to Watch, Play Along and Win every day! With interactive offerings such as Play Along on VOOT , presented by Medlife, the users can enjoy the thrill of the game show by participating and simultaneously matching their power of knowledge with the contestants on the hot seat, and win prizes every day. Furthermore, viewers will get a chance to win Ghar Baithe Jeeto Jackpot, sponsored by Nippon Paint.  The viewers will have to log on to VOOT to answer the question and the first person to answer will be chosen as the winner.

    For its international feed, Colors Tamil has roped in Sivanesan Company (Premier Range of Products) as the Title sponsor, while the show is being powered by Gits (Gits Foods). In addition to this, Tamil Nadu Tourism- Enchanting Tamil Nadu and GMT (GMT Jewellers) have come on board as Special Partners while Gooday Beauty Parlour has been roped in as the Grooming Partner.

    Kodeeswari will go on-air starting 23 December at 8 pm from Monday-Friday on Colors Tamil and Viacom18’s video-on-demand platform VOOT.

  • Discovery Channel’s docuseries on ‘India Startup Stories’ premieres on 14 Dec

    Discovery Channel’s docuseries on ‘India Startup Stories’ premieres on 14 Dec

    MUMBAI: Discovery Channel’s ‘India Startup Stories’ narrates the journey of Indian start-ups who have made giant strides forward and have made a mark on the Indian ecosystem. The 8-episode series, starting December 14, at 7:00 pm on Discovery Channel and Discovery Channel HD, will cover leading start-ups including Car24, Designcafe, Games24x7, Ixigo, Licious, Medlife, Policybazaar, and Paisabazaar.

    Discovery  South Asia Ad-Sales head Vikram Tanna said, “India’s Startup Stories will shine light on the ‘vision’ behind successful start-ups and uncover the fascinating Stories behind their inception. We will uncover how an idea led to the formation of a venture which went on to significantly impact business scenario in the country while making lives of consumers simpler with technology backed concepts.”