Delhi Govt Launches Telemedicine Services for 13 Specialties

According to an official statement, 75 doctors and 67 link officers have been appointed to provide their expertise through the platform.

The Health and Family Welfare Department of the Delhi Government (GNCTD) has introduced Telemedicine services for 13 medical specialties via the Government of India's e-Sanjeevani portal.

This initiative allows patients to consult doctors and specialists through video calls on their smartphones or computers, enhancing healthcare accessibility across the capital.

The TeleMedicine service offered free of charge, covers a wide range of specialties, including general medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, ophthalmology, orthopedics, psychiatry, ENT, dentistry, dermatology, ayurveda, homoeopathy, and unani.

According to an official statement, 75 doctors and 67 link officers have been appointed to provide their expertise through the platform.

About the New Telemedicine Initiative

The GNCTD aims to ease the burden on physical outpatient departments (OPDs) by offering these remote consultations. This step is expected to provide affordable and accessible healthcare to patients from the comfort of their homes.

Reportedly, the Telemedicine services will be available from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 2 pm, and on Saturdays, from 9 am to 1 pm.

The department also plans to launch an information, education, and communication (IEC) campaign to promote awareness of the service and ensure easy access for all age groups and economic classes.

In a similar development, in July this year, the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare launched a pilot for the Electronic Services e-Health Assistance and Tele-consultation (E-SeHAT) service on July 30, 2024, covering 12 ECHS Polyclinics.

The initiative enables teleconsultations for ECHS beneficiaries, allowing access to medical care without visiting polyclinics. Integrated with the ECHS database, the system includes e-prescriptions and synchronized medical records.

IT hardware has been distributed to all 427 polyclinics, and staff trained for online consultations. E-SeHAT aims to ensure timely healthcare for veterans while supporting the government's Digital India vision.