post news network
Bhubaneswar, May 14: Doctors and paramedics operating in farflung areas of the state can now consult experts for advice on rare medical cases through a proposed telemedicine system that will soon be set up by the state government at 27 places across the state.
The telemedicine units will help doctors and paramedics get valuable advice from experts in top health institutions in cases of emergencies. The proposed system is expected to give a boost to healthcare facilities at the grassroots level.
The service, which is already available in major hospitals and medical colleges, will now cover district headquarters hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres, sub-divisional hospitals and ayurvedic hospitals.
“CHCs and PHCs are usually run by two or three doctors who might not have expertise in some fields. Patients with rare diseases also visit them, in which case doctors would refer them to other bigger hospitals. Introduction of telemedicine would definitely help such patients,” said Dr Trimal Subudhi, a doctor in the city.
The telemedicine units will be set up through PPP mode in Angul, Bolangir, Bargarh, Cuttack, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Khurda, Nuapada and Puri. Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur will also have this unit.
The units will be set up by select entrepreneurs under the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises department.
“Setting up of the telemedicine units will begin by end of May. The loan amount has already been sanctioned to the entrepreneurs. The health institutions have also been asked to provide space for the installation of the units,” said a senior official of the health department.
