Practo Makes Conversations On Men’s Health Mainstream

Men face greater health risks than women in 58 per cent of countries worldwide as per a report by WHO and India is one among the four G20 countries in Asia where men’s health gap is concerning. Putting a spotlight on men’s health, Practo, India’s leading integrated healthcare company, has kicked off its Movember campaign ‘The Bro Health Code’, early this month. Ahead of International Men’s Day [which is observed on 19th November], the campaign aims to encourage men to prioritize, assess and discuss important health problems through the ‘bro’ lingo that millennial men feel comfortable communicating in and can relate to. As part of this campaign, Practo has launched a webpage with a section devoted to major men’s health ailments. The platform will also be home to a ‘guidebook’ that would act as a guide for men to become more cognizant of their health. Instructions on self-examination for various ailments such as testicular cancer would be a part of the playbook. The downloadable version of the section would be made available by the end of November 2021.

Over the past few years, there has been a significant shift towards preventive healthcare for women and children, but interventions in men’s health have been sparse. During the COVID - 19 pandemic, more than 70% of the callers to India’s first mental health helpline were men. Various subjects associated with men’s health are still taboo in India. In line with their overall endeavour to help people prioritize healthcare, Practo aims to bring that much-needed focus on men’s overall health through this campaign. The platform will act as a sanctuary where millennial men would be able to talk about their health issues candidly and receive proper guidance to address them. Practo will continue to provide this support throughout the year to normalize discussions on major health concerns of men. 

Commenting on the campaign, Srikanth Pinninti, Executive Vice President - Marketing, Practo, says “November or Movember, as we popularly know it,  is a month dedicated to raising awareness of men's health issues. But why should talking about men’s health be restricted to just a month? If anything, the pandemic has taught us to prioritize healthcare, irrespective of our age or gender. This initiative is a step in that direction. With this campaign, we are aiming to create awareness about the need to bridge the gap in men’s healthcare and build visibility for health concerns plaguing men. We hope this platform becomes a safe space for men to discuss health issues that they normally wouldn’t talk about.”

As an extension to the webpage, Practo has constructed the ’Brommunity’, an exclusive men’s health blog section where important issues would be addressed by men’s health experts associated with Practo.

Using the popular term ‘bro code’, the initiative will be highlighted on Practo’s social media pages as well. The brand will encourage ‘bros’ to talk to each other and consult doctors in order to decode their health problems. All information on the men’s health category will be made available as a standalone page that will surface on the app storefront in the form of a tile.