MBR: What is the current landscape of the Digital healthcare system in Bangladesh? What advantages do you think the digital healthcare system is providing during this pandemic?

Sylvana Quader Sinha: Telemedicine has had an extraordinary moment in Bangladesh and the world, allowing patients to connect remotely to doctors without exposing themselves to the risk of infection during the global pandemic. The opportunity to access medical care through telemedicine and also to access e-pharmacy services have adapted consumer behaviors to improve the efficiency of the healthcare system overall.

MBR: Amid pandemic, there are a soaring number of patients clinics have to deal with. How is Praava managing with the changing situation and demand? How has the pandemic situation affected your business?

Sylvana Quader Sinha: The pandemic has challenged and stretched us in a very positive way Initially, when the pandemic hit in spring 2020, we were overwhelmed by demand and frankly unprepared for the volume of inbound requests - like many healthcare systems across the world. This revealed some of the weaknesses in our processes and systems and forced us to get our house into order. During the recent surge, we found ourselves much better prepared than previously. Additionally, COVID accelerated the rollout of digital product launches - including telemedicine, e-pharmacy, and virtual care management solutions.



MBR: How successful have you been in minimizing cases of COVID-19 through your treatments? What more do you think needs to be done in this type of rare crisis?

Sylvana Quader Sinha: The citizens of the country need to take the risk of the virus seriously. The best way to protect is to avoid gathering in large groups, socially isolate as much as possible, and wear masks and wash your hands frequently. Unfortunately, many Bangladeshis have not needed public health guidance to control the spread of the virus. We have seen some success in reducing the hospitalization of patients under our care, as 80% of cases can be managed effectively from home without accessing hospital care.

MBR: What are the major challenges during this pandemic that you have been facing while operating Praava? How are you mitigating those?

Sylvana Quader Sinha: A major challenge is protecting the health of our staff. We regularly test all employees on a rotating schedule to understand and contain spread within our teams and to our patients.
We have also enforced restrictions on accessing care at our flagship center, including requesting patients bring no more than one attendant.
Operating the company with a remote team has been difficult but it has improved our internal communications and also empowered lower levels of management and middle management, which has been important for the maturity of the business.

MBR: Praava has been focusing simultaneously on an omnichannel model to serve its customers. In an age of technological advancement and increasing internet accessibility, how do you think you can upgrade your business further to give your patients improved and unique services?

Sylvana Quader Sinha: We are eager to expand our physical presence across Dhaka city and also to deepen our digital footprint in the coming years, including through the rollout of a patient superapp - a one-stop-shop for virtual/ remote healthcare needs on your phone. 

MBR: Service-wise, what standards do you endorse at Praava Health? How is it different from those that are being provided by top local private institutions as well as international chains?

Sylvana Quader Sinha: Praava’s doctors are applying clinical protocols as recommended by the National Institutes of Clinical Excellence (UK). Our lab is set up according to the international standards of the College of American Pathology and we also participate every month in RIQAS, the UK’s accreditation system. We are not aware of any other labs in the country that are applying similar standards. We also operate a model pharmacy, one of only hundreds in Bangladesh, and source pharmaceutical products directly from manufacturers only for our pharmacy.

MBR: What are the major goals of Praava? How does Praava plan to change medical services in Bangladesh? Where are you seeing Praava in the next 5 years?

Sylvana Quader Sinha: Praava’s “brick-and-click” healthcare platform integrates digital health and in-clinic experiences convenient to where everyone lives, works, and clicks. Over the next 5 years, we hope to deepen and expand our patient base across Bangladesh’s urban centers, and to be able to deliver on the best patient experience in Bangladesh to patients across the country over time. Our platform seamlessly combines technology with traditional health services — meaningful doctor-patient relationships (15-minute appointments) and quality diagnostics (lab and imaging) and medications — to improve patient experiences and outcomes. Praava’s digital products include Bangladesh’s first patient app (launched in 2018), as well as telemedicine, e-pharmacy, and virtual primary care. Praava is also the first in the region to introduce value-based healthcare concepts, aligning patient values with our own incentives.