- Free
- Open source
- Works offline
- 8 languages
- No login required
What is Shwaas?
Shwaas is a free Android app that helps frontline health workers screen people for pneumonia. After a guided assessment of symptoms, vital signs, and comorbidities, it categorises the person into one of three groups, each with a clear recommendation.
Green
Manage at home. Symptoms are mild. The person can recover at home with rest and supportive care.
Yellow
Needs consultation. Refer the person to a doctor or health facility for follow-up.
Red
Needs admission. Urgent transfer to a hospital is recommended.
How it works
A brief idea of how the app's algorithm works.
Confirm eligibility
Check that the person has symptoms suggestive of pneumonia — cough, fever, or breathlessness — within the past 3 weeks.
Look for emergency conditions
Severe breathlessness, confusion, or other danger signs trigger an immediate referral.
Examination
Measure respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure. The app guides you through each step, with alternatives when equipment isn't available.
History
Check for comorbidities (diabetes, asthma, heart disease, sickle cell disease, and others) and how well they are currently controlled.
Recommendation
Shwaas combines all answers and gives a colour-coded recommendation that can be saved or shared.
Who developed Shwaas?
Jan Swasthya Sahyog
The clinical algorithm behind Shwaas was developed by doctors at Jan Swasthya Sahyog (JSS), a non-profit working in curative and preventative health in rural Chhattisgarh for over 20 years.
JSS runs a secondary-care hospital at Ganiyari, Bilaspur, and serves communities across 70 villages in and around the Achanakmar Tiger Reserve area through a community health program.
Samanvay Foundation
Samanvay Foundation is the technology partner for JSS. Samanvay is a group of professionals with experience across technology, the social sector, rural development, government, and public health.
Other tools built by Samanvay include Avni, Mentor To Go, and Gunak.
Frequently asked questions
When is Shwaas supposed to be used?
Shwaas is designed for frontline workers assessing people with symptoms suggestive of pneumonia — cough, fever, breathlessness, severe fatigue, or related signs. It asks a structured set of questions and produces a triage recommendation (Green, Yellow, or Red).
The app guides the worker through symptoms, danger signs, examination (respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, blood pressure), and comorbidities. Screenshots of the final recommendation can be saved or shared with a doctor for consultation.
Experienced workers can skip ahead to vital-sign measurements during follow-up visits to save time. We do not recommend skipping for newly trained workers, to avoid errors. Frontline workers can also train family members to use the app and share screenshots when the app indicates the need for attention.
Who can use Shwaas?
Shwaas is built for trained frontline workers, but can also be used by caregivers and citizens who have been oriented to it.
- In villages: ASHAs / Mitanins, MPWs, ANMs, ANM supervisors, ASHA facilitators, and NGO field staff with smartphones.
- At primary consultation centres: paramedics or volunteers at fever clinics, primary health centres, and Health & Wellness Centres. The app can also be used to limit exposure time with patients by training the patient to answer questions themselves.
- At home: trained caregivers and family members. Used responsibly, it can reduce irrational use of medication and ensure timely care for those who really need it.
I'm unwell with respiratory symptoms — can I use the app myself?
Yes. If you have symptoms like cough, fever, or breathlessness, you can use Shwaas to assess yourself. Answer the questions honestly. If the app gives you a Yellow or Red recommendation, please consult a health provider promptly.
The app is not a substitute for medical consultation, but it can help you decide when to seek care.
If the person is in the Red stage, can they really be saved in a rural setting?
There are high chances of saving a person in the Red stage if they have timely access to transport and a hospital with appropriate care.
The app isn't available in my language. What can I do?
We add translations as demand arises and as volunteers come forward. If your language is missing, please email us at shwaas-feedback@samanvayfoundation.org.
If you'd like to volunteer to translate, do let us know — if you know the language, translating Shwaas is straightforward.
Can you customise the app for our need?
Drop us an email with your use case and we will see how we can accommodate it. If we can't, you're welcome to modify and release your own version — Shwaas is open source. Developers can start from the source at github.com/SamanvayOrg/shwaas-android.
Has the app been approved by health experts?
The app has been conceived, lab-tested, and field-tested by clinical and public health practitioners at Jan Swasthya Sahyog. JSS has been working in curative and preventative health in hospital and community settings for over 20 years. For more details visit jssbilaspur.org.
Is the app available on iOS?
Not at present. Most of our users today are on Android, so we have prioritised the Android version. If you have a strong reason for an iOS build, please email us — it isn't very difficult for us to create one.
How frequently is the app updated?
We update the app based on feedback from clinical experts and field usage. The algorithm has been tuned to keep sensitivity high — we'd rather refer someone unnecessarily than miss a person who needed urgent care.