Flipkart taps healthcare sector with brand new 'Flipkart Health+' app

The tech platform Flipkart enables access to genuine medicines and healthcare products, and services for millions of customers across the country.

Flipkart Health+, the digital healthcare marketplace platform of e-commerce firm Flipkart Group, has launched Flipkart Health+ app, a tech platform that enables access to genuine medicines and healthcare products and services for millions of customers across the country. With an aim to serve customers across 20,000 pin codes in India, Flipkart Health+ will enable easy and convenient access to quality and affordable medicines and healthcare products, from independent sellers, through the Flipkart Health+ app.

Flipkart Health+ would benefit from the expertise and experience of the  Flipkart Group’s reach and last-mile supply chain capabilities, coupled with Sastasundar.com's robust healthcare network across the country. It aims to strengthen India’s healthcare ecosystem by enabling affordable access to a wide range of medicines and healthcare products and services while partnering with the healthcare ecosystem in terms of long-term sustainable well-being and social development.

“Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Indians have witnessed a tremendous shift in favouring wellness and preventative healthcare and there is an increased focus on health and wellness, like never before,” said Prashant Jhaveri, chief executive officer, Flipkart Health+. “Through Flipkart Health+, we aim to solve the critical gap of accessibility to genuine medicines and healthcare products and services across the country, especially in the remotest parts of the country that have been underserved until now. We want to leverage technology in a way that strengthens the healthcare ecosystem and enables it to serve customers better by making access to healthcare simpler even for those residing in distant areas of the country and contributing towards a healthier India.”

Flipkart Health+ app has been designed and developed with a user-friendly interface that will appeal to customers, irrespective of their technological adeptness. With a robust technology and logistics infrastructure, Flipkart Health+, in line with the regulatory framework, shall enable access to medicines and healthcare products and services for various health conditions including acute and chronic illnesses, to more customers across India, especially in remote locations that have traditionally remained underserved.

To begin with, the Flipkart Health+ platform will have around  500+ independent Sellers who have a network of registered pharmacists for validation of medical prescriptions and accurate dispensation of medicines. Even though it is an intermediary marketplace platform, Flipkart Health+ has put in place various quality checks and verification protocols, which will facilitate the delivery of genuine medicines and healthcare products from independent sellers to the customer’s doorstep. In the coming months, Flipkart Health+ plans to onboard third-party healthcare service providers who will offer other value-added healthcare services like teleconsultation and e-diagnostics to the customers.

Healthcare has become one of the largest sectors of the Indian economy, in terms of both revenues and employment. The emerging rise in digital adoption in India is an opportunity to make an array of medicines and healthcare products accessible across the country.

Initially available on the Android Play Store and will be made available on iOS in future, the Flipkart Health+ app can be accessed on low bandwidth as well, making it accessible to customers across the country.

Walmart-owned Flipkart forayed into the healthcare sector through the launch of Flipkart Health+ in November last year. As part of this development, the group signed definitive agreements to acquire a majority share in Sastasundar Marketplace Limited which owns and operates SastaSundar.com, an online pharmacy and digital healthcare platform, as it focused on providing consumers access to affordable and convenient healthcare. The value of the transaction was not revealed by the firms. Flipkart’s foray into the online healthcare segment puts it in direct competition with established local players including Reliance-owned NetMeds, 1mg, PharmEasy and Amazon Pharmacy.