ARMMAN started in 2008 as a result of the experiences of Founder, Chairperson and Managing Trustee, Dr. Aparna Hegde, during her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Mumbai and is a product of her perseverance to minimize the preventable morbidity and mortality of mothers and children in India.

It was 1:00 am and I was called to the emergency room to examine Aruna, a 25 year old with gestational diabetes, having her first baby. Aruna had been transferred from Thane civil hospital with her baby’s head delivered, but the body stuck inside, as it was too large to pass through. I will never forget the first sight of her: a beautiful frail young woman with the head of a beautiful dead baby sticking out of her vagina. Aruna died three days later. “Her death will forever stay with me. Not only because she died a most horrible death, but also because it was preventable… She had gone for her first antenatal visit but she had not been counseled about the remaining visits, danger signs, and potential complications. If only she had been…

– Dr. Aparna Hegde, Founder, ARMMAN

Pervasive systemic problems including lack of access to critical preventive healthcare information and services, and inadequately trained and supported health workers are among the major contributory factors towards maternal and child mortality and morbidity.

ARMMAN leverages deep mobile penetration with existing health worker network and infrastructure to:

• Provide preventive care information to women through pregnancy and infancy enabling them to seek care in time
• Train and support health workers for timely detection and management of high-risk conditions

Pregnancy and motherhood are not diseases and it is our belief that no mother, neonate, infant or child dies for want of care. This desire is captured in our name ARMMAN, which stands for ‘wish’ in Hindi. It is an acronym for ADVANCING REDUCTION IN MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY OF MOTHERS, CHILDREN AND NEONATES.