AP stands first in e-sanjeevini telemedicine services

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh stood first in the implementation of e-Sanjeevani telemedicine services by registering 3.1 crore teleconsultations, out of a total of 9.7 crore registered in the country.

State health, medical and family welfare commissioner and National Health Mission director J Nivas took part, in virtual mode, in the three-day ‘regional workshop on strengthening telemedicine for WHO South East Asia Region’, beginning from Tuesday in New Delhi.

He said that as the state government had extended tele-consultation services to all PHCs and Village Health Clinics. As many as 27 telemedicine hubs were set up so far. Spokes in 8,351 village health clinics and spoke-cum-hubs in 1,684 centres (1,142 PHCs and 542 Urban PHCs) were operational in AP at present.

As many as 60,000 tele-consultations were being facilitated per day in the state.

The health commissioner said each telemedicine hub was having a sanctioned strength of a general physician, a pediatrician, a gynecologist and two general duty medical officers. In order to ensure the availability of the sanctioned strength, they were availing the services of doctors from district hospitals or teaching hospitals.

He said that based on the direction from the chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, efforts were on to fill up all vacant posts.

The commissioner detailed about the telemedicine services provided during the Covid-19 pandemic and said that a call centre was set up with a strength of 180 tele-callers including 10 doctors in the first wave. Subsequently, its services were provided to 6.11 lakh citizens while 6,145 doctors were registered to serve the needy patients, 13.74 lakh calls were attended and  84,650 hours of consultations or counselling done.

Union ministry of health and family welfare joint secretary (policy) Vishal Chauhan appreciated AP’s efforts in becoming the best state in the country for providing e-sanjeevini telemedicine services and advised other states to follow AP in providing such services for the people.