Gujarat to soon dial 104 for telemedicine

State govt to expand telemedicine network in PPP mode.

The state health department is all set to embark on an ambitious plan to connect all villages through its telemedicine network. If things go according to plan, all panchayats and schools in Gujarat villages would have visual-satellite connections within the next two to three years.

Jay Narayan Vyas, state health minister, said "First thing we plan to do is to start the 104 service over the phone. People can call up and talk to paramedics in call centers who can suggest the primary action to be taken in case of any health emergency. Also, they would be able to suggest generic and over the counter drugs." He added that many people in the rural and semi-urban areas who cannot afford to go to a doctor have to depend on chemists for medicines in case of general illness. The state government has managed to expand the reach of telemedicine services from 53 villages in 2008 to 453 now, and hopes to cross 500 villages soon.

Telemedicine is a form of application of clinical medicine where medical information is transferred by a consultant in a remote location to a patient who is elsewhere. This can be done through audio-visual devices or telephones.

The minister informed that the entire 104 service would be based on public-private-partnership mode. "Tenders have already been floated to select call center operators and the state government is keen to start the services soon.

"104 would be the foundation, on which we would build the superstructure. Gujarat has the single largest civilian network, all our villages are on the visual satellite network, and we plan to extend this to the e-highway", Vyas said. The health department plans to utilise the infrastructure of village panchayats and schools to spread the telemedicine network further. "We would eventually install cameras at these places of contact, whereby people would be able to communicate more effectively with the doctors or paramedics", Vyas elaborated.

On top of this, the health department is also planning to revamp the 108 ambulance service by adding equipment like brain scanners etc on board the vehicles, and can also tie up with private hospitals to provide better service. The 108 ambulance service is already a hit across several cities in the state.

The telemedicine network will connect 24 primary health centres (PHC) to community health centres (CHC) and district hospitals. PHCs will conduct all the basic tests like temperature, pulse, blood pressure measurement, ECG and blood glucose examination for the tele-consultation of the patient.