AIIMS doctors to treat villagers in Naxal-hit Bastar

In a bid to reach out to residents of conflict zones, especially tribals, in the naxal-affected Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, the CRPF has come up with a novel plan of telemedicine in collaboration with AIIMS.
The move is aimed at bringing about a paradigm shift in the villagers' outlook towards security forces.
It envisages networking of at least 100 CRPF camps spread in Bastar region with Raipur AIIMS, through electronic means of communication.
Director General of CRPF, Pranay Sahay today launched the facility here at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences campus.
"It is very good initiative to provide treatment through telemedicine to the last person... Any arrangements that improves the quality of life is worth it and definitely worth for whatever it is", he said on the occasion.

The initiative would help the state functionary faced with an uphill task of providing health care facilities to people in the conflict zones of the state.

"The initiative envisages connecting at least 100 locations of the CRPF battalions spread in Bastar with AIIMS through different means of communication like skype, Internet or digital satellite phone terminal (DSPT) to facilitate experts' advice", said Sahay.
Explaining the strategy, the DG said, "We will call up civilians at the camps and provide them medical consultation through teleconferencing. We will also arrange to provide them prescribed medicines".
On anti-naxal operations, Sahay said the CRPF in collaboration with state police successfully launched operations in March to flush out ultras.

AIIMS Director at Raipur, Nitin M Nagarkar said a panel of doctors will connect with villagers and paramilitary personnel at CRPF camps through net connectivity or mobile communication at least twice a week.
Meanwhile, some patients from Kondagaon and Jagdalpur interacted with doctors through teleconferencing today.