In a landmark move to make healthcare accessible to all, the Ministry of Health has expanded telemedicine services to 200 districts, connecting rural patients with specialists through the e-Sanjeevani platform. The initiative aims to bridge the urban-rural health divide.
🔹 Nationwide telemedicine network
The e-Sanjeevani platform, which enables doctor-to-doctor and patient-to-doctor consultations, has now been rolled out in 200 high-priority districts. Over 15,000 health centres (PHCs, CHCs) are equipped with tablets and high-speed internet to facilitate video consultations. Since January 2024, 2.8 million consultations have been conducted.
Health Secretary's statement
"We are creating a 'hub and spoke' model where district hospitals act as hubs with specialists, and primary health centres become spokes. A patient in a remote village can now get expert opinion without travelling 100 km." – Apurva Chandra
Specialties covered
- General medicine: Fever, infections, chronic diseases.
- Maternal & child health: High-risk pregnancy counselling, paediatric care.
- Mental health: Counselling sessions via video.
- Dermatology: Skin conditions through image sharing.
- Cardiology & diabetology: Follow-up consultations.
🔹 Technology & training
Each health centre has been provided with a telemedicine kit (tablet, diagnostic devices like BP monitor, oximeter, and dermascope). The software supports 12 languages and works on low bandwidth. Over 25,000 community health officers have been trained to assist patients during consultations.
Case study: Chhattisgarh's success
In the tribal district of Bastar, telemedicine has reduced the average travel for a specialist visit from 120 km to 2 km. "We diagnosed a child with rheumatic heart disease early and referred her to Raipur. Earlier, such cases would often go undetected," said Dr. Ravi Singh, district health officer.
🔹 Integration with ABDM
The telemedicine platform is integrated with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). Patients can create a health ID and access their records online. Prescriptions are digitally signed and sent via SMS. This interoperability ensures continuity of care even if the patient moves to another city.
Patient experience
Mangal Devi, 52, from a village in Jharkhand: "I used to spend ₹500 on bus fare to see a doctor. Now I walk to the panchayat building and talk to a doctor on screen. He prescribed medicines and they were available at the local pharmacy."
🔹 Challenges and next phase
Connectivity in remote hamlets remains a hurdle. The government is deploying satellite-based internet in 5000 villages. The next phase aims to include private hospitals and expand to 400 districts by 2025. A 24x7 helpline for technical support has also been launched.
