Divya Kamerkar

Updated March 2026

Cost, stigma and scarce gynecological care undermine women’s health in India

Across India, millions of women face sexual and reproductive health concerns without timely medical support. Specialist shortages, social stigma and high out-of-pocket costs prevent many from ever seeing a gynecologist. The result is delayed diagnosis — or no diagnosis at all — of conditions and outcomes that are often preventable, including cervical and breast cancers, pregnancy complications and maternal mortality.

The scale of the challenge is stark. India has an estimated 360 million women of reproductive age, yet access remains limited to roughly one gynecologist for every 10,000.

For many, particularly those in underserved areas, seeking care can mean long travel, fear of judgement and expense. As a result, women frequently turn to internet searches instead of doctors, navigating complex health decisions alone.

Mumbai-based Divya Kamerkar is a biologist by training with an MBA from Wharton and has spent more than a decade building women’s health systems across three continents. But it was complications during her own pregnancy that catalyzed her next chapter. “It took more than a month to get a diagnosis which, as a biologist, I knew should have taken just days,” she recalls.

A gynecologist in your pocket

Divya realized that an opportunity was hiding in plain sight: India’s rapid smartphone adoption. Today, the vast majority of young Indian women have access to affordable smartphones and mobile data, with many searching online for answers to deeply personal health questions.

“That was the aha moment,” Divya says. “If women are already looking for help online, we need to meet them there — supporting them with expert care enabled by great technology.”

In 2020, she founded Pinky Promise, an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled digital clinic delivering fast, affordable and discreet sexual and reproductive healthcare for women — what Divya describes as “a gynecologist in your pocket.”

The model is simple but powerful. Through a mobile app, women can connect with a highly qualified gynecologist 24/7 via text-based chat. An AI system asks all relevant medical questions, organizes the information into a clinical summary and proposes a diagnosis and prescription, which are then reviewed and approved by a licensed gynecologist. Within minutes, women receive care, guidance and, where appropriate, a prescription, at a cost of just $1 USD — a tenth of standard market prices.

Crucially, the platform is designed around trust and discretion. “In the first 30 seconds, women see the doctor’s credentials, registration number and availability,” Divya explains. “No one asks for personal details until it’s absolutely necessary.”

Furthermore, by automating administrative tasks, Pinky Promise enables a single gynecologist to care for up to 10,000 patients, dramatically expanding access without compromising quality.

A lifesaving solution that puts women in control of their reproductive health

In the past year alone, Pinky Promise has reached women who had long gone without care. More than half of its 5,100 users had never previously visited a gynecologist, and 71% live in underserved areas. Among these users, over 80% report improved health outcomes following timely intervention.

Equally striking is patient adherence — the extent to which people follow their prescribed care. While industry averages hover around an estimated 30%, Pinky Promise maintains a 90% adherence rate, driven by ongoing doctor–patient communication and a strong culture of support. “When women feel heard, they follow through,” Divya says. “Care doesn’t end with a prescription, it’s a relationship.”

Early intervention is proving lifesaving. For example, Pinky Promise estimates that timely care has helped avoid around 35% of potential cervical cancer cases among users.

Chance encounters underscore the human impact. Divya recalls being hugged by a stranger queuing for a taxi in Bengaluru who recognized her as Pinky Promise’s founder. “She told me her pregnancy had been healthy because we flagged gestational diabetes early,” Divya says. “After two miscarriages, that changed everything for her.”

Looking ahead, Pinky Promise aims to reach 10 million women by 2028. Currently available in Hindi and English, it plans to expand into five additional Indian languages, and partner with governments and CSR programs worldwide to serve districts with no gynecologists at all.

Her vision is driven by equal parts ambition and compassion: “I want to ensure that all women across the world can access quality, affordable and dignified sexual and reproductive healthcare when they need it — starting with India.”