nChhattisgarh Health and Family Welfare Minister T. S. Singh Deo on Wednesday dedicated the ‘Centre of Excellence Telemedicine Hub’ at the Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial Medical College Hospital so that doctors in one hospital can take online advice from experts in other medical facilities.
An official statement said the facility has been jointly developed by the Health and Family Welfare Department and the National Health Mission.
All hospitals, health and wellness centres in the state will remain inter-connected through the internet and seek advice from expert doctors for treatment of patients through online counselling.
The Minister told the event over video-conferencing: “For extending the best health facilities through telemedicine services, the hub will achieve a milestone in the state. Both in emergency or normal situations, the dedicated Covid-19 Care Hospitals including Health and Wellness centres existing in remotest areas of the state can directly seek medical guidance from specialist doctors.”
Greeting all doctors on ‘Doctor’s Day’, Singh Deo said: “The dedication with which the doctors have dealt with the Covid epidemic is commendable. Inclusion of new technology will further extend benefits to the people of the state.”
At the event, Additional Chief Secretary Medical Education Renu Pillai held a discussion with Dr B R Ambedkar Memorial Medical College Hospital Covid-19 Nodal Officer Dr R. K. Panda and Critical Care Expert Dr. O.P. Sunderani for the ‘Standard Operating Procedure’ for extending medical facilities through telecommunication.
Health Secretary Niharika Barik Singh said: “The command centre will function 24x7 based on voice and video call on software Skype, Google Meet and other online platforms. Experts will be able to give advice to doctors of specialized Covid hospitals located in other districts of the state.”
Health Mission Director Dr Priyanka Shukla said: “Medicine, cardiac, orthopaedic, surgery, respiratory, anaesthesia and other experts will be present online for advice.”