The Kerala government has decided to effectively make use of the telemedicine platform e-Sanjeevani, as a sustainable solution for non-COVID-19 patient care while avoiding direct interface with doctors during the COVID-19 crisis.
The app offering high-utility features was launched on June 10 and the state decided to be part of e-Sanjeevani, developed by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) as an effective consultation platform.
State Health Minister K K Shailaja, in a release, said telemedicine has every possibility to emerge as a viable and efficient solution in Kerala.
"It has a definite advantage as it precludes the need for a patient to go to hospital and it provides the services at the fingertips.
Since the elderly and other vulnerable people are advised against going outside their homes during the Covid-19 times, the health requirements of these people can be met with this innovative solution," she noted.
The minister also said if telemedicine picks up the way the state anticipates it to, then probably the government would want to strengthen this by offering health consultations round the clock on all days of the year.
Planning Board Member B Ekbal observed that many non-COVID patients were not getting treatment due to the coronavirus situation at hospitals and telemedicine can help such patients in a big way.
He said e-Sanjeevani offers tele consultation to the public, both for general and speciality consultations free of charge.
NHM Kerala Mission Director Rathan Kelkar, said e-Sanjeevani app has received good response from the people of the southern state since its launch and each day more than 125 consultations were being recorded, which is the highest in the country.
"We have held discussions with Centres of excellence like the RCC, MCC, IMHANS, SCTIMST, CCRC, IID for providing specialist consultations services and the same would be started very soon wherein the people can avail services of the specialists online on dedicated days," Kelkar was quoted as saying in the release.
With the platform receiving a huge number of calls daily, which are being attended by more than 30 doctors, the telemedicine venture would be expanded to districts in about a month's time with specific spokes being established.
A person can use the facility by logging in to www.esanjeevaniopd.in from 8 am to 8 pm and can call DISHA on 1056, 0471-2552056 for any queries.
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