In its bid to win the hearts of tribals residing in far flung areas of Maoist-infested Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, the CRPF has launched the concept of telemedicine — under which patients are connected to doctors in the State capital using one of the communication systems of the Paramilitary force.
IG (Operations) at CRPF directorate Zulfikar Hasan told The Pioneer, “We have over 100 camps in Bastar region and there is hardly any medical facility in the area. We have tied up with the AIIMS, Raipur to facilitate treatment for the people of Bastar. We organise medical camps twice weekly wherein the patients are facilitated contact with the doctors at the hospital.” The camps are organised every Tuesday and Thursday and the prescribed medicines are given to the patients free of cost by the CRPF, Hasan said, adding that the exercise is generating a lot of goodwill among the people. Consultation with the doctor is also free of cost.
Bastar region lacks communication facilities and the patients have facilitated contact with the doctors either through Skype, mobile/landline phones or even satellite phones depending upon the need, he said. Outgoing CRPF Director General Pranay Sahay said the telemedicine project was launched in May this year and so far about 1,500 patients have availed the facility.
CRPF has also imparted pre-recruitment training to potential candidates from 26 districts severely affected by Naxalism across seven States. For this, the force spent Rs 1.57 crore. Besides this, the CRPF has recruited about 3,500 candidates through special recruitment drive from far flung areas of the Naxal-affected States, Sahay said. The DG further said as a result of sustained operations and continuous pressure mounted by the force, there is a definite reduction and a clear downward trend in the depredations by the Naxals. From an all time high of 2,258 incidents and 1,005 deaths in 2010, it has come down to 590 incidents (till June) with 202 casualties.