The pandemic has forced people to opt for digital channels to access services and telemedicine is one of them. Telemedicine is here to stay and to mark  “SevaSamarpanAbhiyaan” on the occasion of the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh launched countrywide free telemedicine consultation cum drugs facility.

Dr Jitendra Singh said a countrywide free telemedicine facility will overcome the problems of accessibility, availability and affordability. He added that obstacles like the quality of services, doctors and assistance, connecting remote distances and cost of consultation/treatment are targeted and solved efficiently through this facility. He also added that telemedicine services like SAATH and E-Sanjeevani add a meta-layer to the primary health sector, thus helping upgrade the entire health care system of India.

The Minister said telemedicine is the need of the hour and people across the country have to embrace telemedicine services.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, Covid-19 has taught us some lessons and reinforced the need for telemedicine, as doctors across the country were treating only Covid-19 patients during the pandemic and patients with other diseases could not be attended.  Here, telemedicine can come in handy and help, he added.

He said that in his Lok Sabha constituency of Udhampur-Kathua-Doda, a teleconsultation facility has been established in the district hospital at Kathua with all the panchayats connected with it and it is being monitored regularly.