By Sreekumar Raghavan

Thiruvananthapuram: A tech start-up has developed an innovative solution to track the growth of deadly diseases such as Chikungunya by collecting and processing information from rural hospitals to medical colleges in Kerala.<!--more--> 

The software developed under the GNU General Public Licence as free software will be handed over to Kerala Health Minister P K Sreemathi Teacher here on Friday.

This web-based software being developed and released on free software for the first time in India allows hospitals to report cases of diseases as soon as they are registered at the hospital, Zyxware Technologies CEO Anoop John told a press meet here on Thursday.

Efforts are also on to integrate this web-reporting system with the Aarogyakeralam website of the State Health Department, John said.

The system seamlessly integrates with the existing manual process by allowing hospitals that does not have any web access to send paper based reports to data entry operators who can enter them into the system or send soft copies of the reports that can be imported automatically.

The system also allows secure login with role based privileges for different roles like government medical official, hospital staff, data entry operators and system administrator.

The GIS interface uses Google maps to present data on a real time basis on map of the state and the cases of diseases are represented by markers on the map and easy visual analysis of the pattern and extent of spread of diseases is possible.

The GIS and reporting interface processes the cases registered and presents reports that can be used by the Health Department to monitor the situation on real time basis and take precautionary measures if required.

This system can help prevent disease outbreaks on a large scale experienced in Kerala John said. "We have had a positive response from the Health Ministry and officials and hope the potential of this web based software will be utilized by them," he added.

Explaining the rational behind the decision to develop the solution on the free software model, John said that a similar solution in a developed country would cost around US $50,000 making it untouchable for implementation in a country like India.

"India is an IT leader but state of the art IT applications are not touching our daily lives because of the high costs involved in solutions based on proprietary software," he said.

"If we use open source software, costs will never be a hurdle for implementing e-Governance projects," stated the man who quit a well paying job in US to set up Zyxware Tech in 2006 with the aim of serving his own country.

Zyxware presently provides web and desktop application management solutions apart from web hosting and hardware services. It also intends to develop more solutions in the e-Governance segment.