The Kilkari Programme is a free centralized interactive voice response (IVR) based mobile health service initiated by India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It aims to deliver vital health information to pregnant women and new mothers through their mobile phones.
Objective and Key Features
Kilkari, meaning ‘baby’s gurgle’ in Hindi, intends to empower women and families with free, accessible, and trustworthy maternal and child healthcare information. Some key features include:
Timed information delivery
- Weekly audio messages delivered from 2nd trimester till child is 12 months old
- Content aligned with stage of pregnancy/child’s age
Wide range of 70+ audio topics
- Related to pregnancy care, safe delivery, postnatal care, newborn/child healthcare
Central hosting without infrastructure requirements for states
- Technology, servers, telephony infrastructure centrally arranged by Union Health Ministry
- No related investments needed from state governments
Localized content
- Messages available in major Indian languages as per state’s preference
- Ensures wider receptibility
A friendly persona in the name of ‘Dr Anita’
- Content hosted in form of an easy-to-approach doctor named Dr Anita
- Builds user trust and receptibility
Free usage
- No call costs or data charges incurred by beneficiaries
Integrated Programme Architecture
The Kilkari architecture rests on integration of its database with the central Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portal of the health ministry.
RCH portal integration
- Provides single data source regarding beneficiaries’ pregnancy stage and children’s age
- Enables accurately timed message delivery
LMP and expected delivery date data
- Last menstrual period (LMP) dates used to determine pregnancy duration
- Expected and actual delivery dates enable postnatal messaging
Tech platform, telco integration by government
- Minimizes rollout effort needed from state agencies
Current Reach and Future Roadmap
As of 2023, the Kilkari Programme is enabled in 18 states and union territories, set to expand nationwide by 2025.
Current reach
- Available in 18 states/UTs as of 2023
- 13.5 crore successful calls made and messages delivered
Scale-up plans
- Rollout initiated in additional 9 states/UTs
- Nationwide coverage targeted by 2025
Key Impact
Significant improvements have been recorded in key mother and child health indicators like institutional delivery, vaccination rates etc.
Rise in hospital births
- Institutional births increased by 5% from previous levels
- Indicates enhanced acceptance of medical guidance
Improved vaccination rates
- Over 15% more children now fully vaccinated before 1 year
- Shows greater health seeking behaviour
Better nutrition and feeding practices
- Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months rose by 8%
- Harmful baby feeding reduced through awareness
Kilkari serves as an apt, outcome-oriented and scalable model for governments globally seeking to effectively leverage technology in making healthcare more inclusive.
State-wise Roll Out Status and Beneficiary Reach
State/UT |
Year Launched |
Successful Calls Made |
| Rajasthan | 2019 | 1.7 crore |
| Uttar Pradesh | 2020 | 3.2 crore |
| Odisha | 2020 | 1.3 crore |
| Himachal Pradesh | 2021 | 67 lakh |
| Chhattisgarh | 2022 | 1.1 crore |
Launched in 2019, the Kilkari Programme has delivered over 13.5 crore maternal and child healthcare audio messages to date through a centralized, direct-to-mobile communication platform.
Key Outcomes
The model is underpinned by the following key facts:
- Integrated with national RCH portal for beneficiary data
- State-level servers set up by the Health Ministry
- 70+ types of localized audio content spanning pregnancy to infancy
- Currently operational across 18 states, 9 more initiated
Performance Aanlysis
As per Ministry’s data, between 2019-23 Kilkari usage resulted in measurable improvements:
- 5% rise in institutional births (1 Cr+ births site-shifted)
- Above 15% increase in fully vaccinated children (3 Cr+ target beneficiaries)
- Over 8% enhancement in exclusive breastfeeding rates
Backed by the large-scale, tangible impacts across maternal health goals, Kilkari offers a financially viable and scalable technological blueprint toward advancing last-mile access along India’s healthcare priorities. Its growing state-wise presence and usage metrics validate its viability as a sustainable model targeting prevention of substantial pregnancy-related mortalities countrywide.