Privacy Policy

At SickleSaathi, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal health information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and services.

By using SickleSaathi, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our services.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Health Information

• Health metrics and vital signs (pain levels, hydration, oxygen levels)
• Medical history and treatment records
• Symptom tracking and crisis events
• Medication schedules and adherence
• Emergency contact information

1.2 Account Information

• Name and contact information
• Email address (for Play Store beta signup)
• Profile preferences and settings

1.3 Device and Usage Information

• Device type, operating system, and unique device identifiers
• App usage patterns and feature interactions
• Crash reports and performance data

1.4 Location Information

SickleSaathi collects and processes precise (GPS) and approximate (network-based) location data from your device. Location access is requested only when required for the features described below, and is governed by the runtime permissions you grant in Android/iOS settings. You can decline or revoke this permission at any time, though doing so will disable the related features.

Why we collect location data:

• Emergency SOS (Foreground & Background): When you activate the one-tap SOS feature, we capture your current location and transmit it to your designated emergency contacts and, where applicable, emergency response services so that help can reach you quickly. To ensure your safety during an active crisis event, location may continue to be accessed in the background for a limited duration while an SOS session is in progress, even if the app is minimized or the screen is off.
• Find Nearby Healthcare (Foreground): When you use the "Nearby Hospitals / Clinics" feature, we use your current location to display nearby healthcare facilities, sickle cell specialists, and blood banks relevant to you.

What we do NOT do with your location:

• We do not sell your location data to any third party.
• We do not use your location for advertising or marketing purposes.
• We do not share your location with data brokers or analytics providers.
• We do not continuously track your location for non-emergency purposes.

Background location disclosure: In accordance with Google Play's Location Permissions policy, SickleSaathi requests background location access solely to deliver the Emergency SOS feature described above. Background location is never accessed for any other purpose. When you trigger an SOS, you will see a clear in-app notice explaining that background location will be used; you may decline this permission and still use the rest of the app, although the SOS feature will then operate only while the app is in the foreground.

Retention: Location coordinates captured during an SOS event are stored only for as long as necessary to facilitate the emergency response and to maintain a history of crisis events for your own medical records. Location data used to display nearby facilities is processed in real time and is not retained on our servers.

2. How We Use Your Information

• To provide and maintain our healthcare services
• To track and monitor your health metrics and symptoms
• To send emergency alerts (including your real-time location) to your designated contacts and emergency services during SOS activations
• To display nearby hospitals, clinics, sickle cell specialists, and blood banks based on your current location
• To provide personalized health insights and recommendations
• To improve our app functionality and user experience
• To communicate with you about your account and our services
• To comply with legal obligations and protect our rights

3. Data Storage and Security

We use Vercel Blob Storage and other secure cloud services to store your data. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest. We implement industry-standard security measures including:

• End-to-end encryption for sensitive health data
• Secure authentication and access controls
• Regular security audits and updates
• Limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

4. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal health information. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

• With Your Consent: We may share information when you explicitly authorize it
• Emergency Situations: When you activate the SOS feature, we share your information — including your precise real-time location (GPS coordinates) — with the emergency contacts you have designated and, where applicable, with local emergency response services or healthcare providers. This is the only circumstance in which your location data is transmitted outside of SickleSaathi.
• Service Providers: We may share data with trusted third-party service providers who assist in operating our app (under strict confidentiality agreements)
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law or in response to valid legal requests
• Research: We may use anonymized, aggregated data for medical research purposes (with no personally identifiable information)

5. Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal health data
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data
• Portability: Request transfer of your data to another service
• Opt-out: Opt-out of certain data collection or communications
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for data processing at any time

To exercise these rights, please contact us at the email address provided below.

6. Managing App Permissions

SickleSaathi requests the following sensitive runtime permissions on your device. You may grant, deny, or revoke any of these at any time through your device's system settings.

• Location (Precise & Approximate) — Foreground: Used to display nearby hospitals/clinics and to capture your location when you trigger an SOS.
• Location — Background: Used solely to continue transmitting your location to your emergency contacts during an active SOS session if the app is minimized.
• Notifications: Used to deliver medication reminders, hydration reminders, and SOS status updates.

How to revoke location permission:

• Android: Settings → Apps → SickleSaathi → Permissions → Location
• iOS: Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → SickleSaathi

Revoking location permission will disable the "Nearby Healthcare" feature and will prevent your location from being shared with emergency contacts during an SOS. All other features of the app will continue to function normally.

7. Children's Privacy

SickleSaathi is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

8. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and maintained on servers located outside of your country of residence. By using SickleSaathi, you consent to the transfer of your information to these facilities. We ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes are effective when they are posted on this page.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: