Our Covid-19 response
StepOne combined technology, people and processes to reduce Covid-19 illness and deaths — working free of cost alongside governments in 21 states and union territories.
4 million citizens
Helplines launched with state governments as India went into lockdown, starting in Karnataka in March 2020.
33.6 million citizens
Scaled to 3.1 lakh patients a day in May 2021 — 40% of India’s caseload.
4.06 million citizens
Scaled to 45,000 cases a day in just one week.
Seven services across the patient journey
Citizens could reach a doctor simply by calling a helpline number that their state government promoted. Volunteer doctors, interns, nurses and trained citizens took it from there.
1Before a positive test
- Health worker trainingsRapid, protocol-driven training for doctors and frontline health workers.
- Covid suspect triagingWhen test kits were scarce, triage decided who most needed a test.
- Mental health counsellingTrained counsellors on call for anxiety, grief and isolation.
2While Covid positive
- Covid positive triagingPositive patients were called proactively; doctors assessed severity and recommended the right bed type.
- Home isolation monitoringDaily calls, diet and care guidance for patients recovering at home.
3After recovery
- Post-Covid supportFollow-up care for lingering symptoms and complications.
- Vaccine ushering serviceHelping citizens find, book and reach vaccination.
Taking the load off hospitals
Trained volunteers triaged every case using a pre-set protocol, counselled patients on next steps and escalated to a doctor when needed. Without this, every worried patient would have rushed to a hospital.
Scarce test kits
In the early months, triage helped decide who most needed testing, so high-risk cases got tested first.
Scarce beds
At the peak of the second wave, StepOne doctors recommended the bed type each patient needed, so resources went where they were needed most.
Right protocols
StepOne’s trainings on Covid treatment protocols were attended by volunteer and non-volunteer doctors alike, spreading updated guidance quickly.
Launched by state leaders across India
StepOne helplines were launched by Chief Ministers and ministers in Karnataka, Delhi, Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh, among others.
- Karnataka
- Delhi
- Maharashtra
- Punjab
- Uttarakhand
- Madhya Pradesh
- Goa
- Bihar
- Assam
- Meghalaya
- Manipur
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Jharkhand
- Odisha
- Jammu & Kashmir
- Puducherry
- and more
In each state, government provided the mandate and promoted the helpline, while StepOne contributed technology, clinical protocols and volunteer capacity — free of cost.
What the people we served said
My father is getting discharged today. He is saved by your initiative… You all are real heroes who are working for human welfare.— Family member of a patient supported by the StepOne helpline
We are back home. Fully recovered. Thank you for your timely help.— Patient admitted to hospital with StepOne’s help, Bengaluru
We cannot thank you enough in these difficult times… You all are doing a tremendous job of helping people in need.— Citizen whose father received plasma support, on X
I got beautiful support from the helpline.— Caller from Shivamogga, Karnataka
Messages lightly edited and anonymised to protect privacy.
The next emergency needs a head start
Covid-19 showed what a coordinated volunteer and government response can do. Help us keep that capability always on.