Lok Sabha Question No. 1080 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-18
Subject: Tele-Medicine platform for healthcare delivery
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Gautham Sigamani Pon, Devji Mansingram Patel, Sunil Kumar Singh, Arjunlal Meena, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Feroze Varun Gandhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1080 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH SEPTEMBER, 2020

## TELE - MEDICINE PLATFORM FO R HEALTHCARE DELIVER Y

## 1080. SHRI GAUTHAM SIGAMANI PON:

SHRI DEVJI M. PATEL:

SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SIN GH:

SHRI ARJUN LAL MEENA :

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKA R:

SHRI FEROZE VARUN GA NDHI:

Will th e Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) Whether the Government has rolled out Tele - Medicine platform for healthcare delivery, if so, the details  thereof  includ ing the criteria adopted, funds allocated and spent so far for the purpose;
- (b) The State/UT w ise details of Hospitals/Health Centres connected throu gh it in the country especially in Maharashtra and tec hnical and financial assistance provided to them;
- (c)  Whether  the Government  proposes  to  promote telemedicine  with  introduction  of  adva nce telemedicine tools  such  as  wearable  m edical  devices,  tele  cardiology and  tele  radiology  to address the gap between urban rural healthcare delivery a nd access to healthcare system. If so, the details thereof;
- (d)  whether  the  use  of  telemedicine  with  impr oved technology  will  also  a ddress  the  issue  of shortage of Doctors and other healt hcare professio nals, if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government has formulated a National Policy on Telemedici ne, if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) The other steps taken/being taken by Government for the expansion and promotion of the network of e- health in cluding telemedic ine, particularly in the rural, tribal and underserved areas across the country?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a)  Public health is a state subject. Under the National Health Mission (NHM), support provided  to  States/UTs  to  strengthen  their  healthcare  systems  including  Tele -consultation services based on requirements posed by the States in their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs).

eSanjeevani Telemedicine solution developed by CDAC - Mohali is being rolled out under Ayushman Bharat -Health & Wellness Centres program.

Under  Ayushman  Bharat,  1.5  lakh  Sub  Health  Centres (SHCs)  and  rural  and  urban Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the country are being transformed by December 2022 Health  and  Wellness  Centres  (AB -HWCs)  with  an  aim  to  provide  Comprehensive  Primary Health Care (CPHC) that includes preventive and health promotion at the community level with continuum of care.

The state -wise details of funds approved under NHM for Tele - consultation for FY 20 - 21 are given at Annexure.

(b)  eSanjeevani has been implemented at around 3000 HWCs.

For  providing  technical  assis tance  to  States,  NHM  had  issued  'Guidelines  for  Tele - Medicine Services  in  Ayushman  Bharat -Health  and  Wellness  Centres  (HWCs)'  providing  details  of implementation model, IT infrastructure required at hubs & spokes, human resource require conducting t elemedicine etc. to States. Accordingly States/UTs are submitting proposals see financial support under NHM.

CDAC has been providing regular technical assistance to States for training, handho and for ensuring uninterrupted operations of the servi ces.

The state -wise details of funds approved under NHM for Tele - consultation for FY 20 - 21 are given at Annexure.

The  list  of  Hospitals/Health  Centers  connected  through  telemedicine  in  country available on ministry website at h tps://main.mohfw.gov.in/node/5158 .

(c)  The eSanjeevani application has been modelled on EHR guidelines issued by MoHFW, GoI The  application  is  compatible  with  advance  technologies  like Internet - of - Things  (IoT)  and bluetooth enabled diagnostic devices. The whole architecture of eSanjeevani is based on th framework and utilizes cloud services for hosting.

eSanjeevani is being continuously upgraded to be compatible with advanced tele medicine tools for betterment of services.

The modalities regarding integration of Tel -cardiology and Tele - radiology  services  are being examined in consultation with States and CDAC.

(d) Telemedicine implementation at Health & Wellness Centers (spokes) li nked with doctors (Hubs)  has  helped  to  address  the  shortage  of    doctors  and  other  healthcare  profession telemedicine enables the access of specialist services from hubs to patient from nearb through eSanjeevani.

(e) No. Government has not for mulated National Policy on Telemedicine.

However, Govt. of India / Board of Governors in supersession of Medical Council India issued 'Telemedicine Practice Guidelines' in March 2020.

(f)   eSanjeevani telemedicine service is being rolled out in 1.5 Lakh Health & Wellness Centers (HWCs) under Ayushman Bharat programme in all States/UTs.

States are being supported under NHM for IT initiatives based on the requirement p by States in PIP.

## State - wise details of funds approved under NHM for

Annexure - I Tele - consultation at Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres

| Sl. No.      | State                     | Total Amount Approved for Tele - Consultation in FY 20 - 21 (Rs. in as on 15.09.20   |
|--------------|---------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1            | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 0                                                                                    |
| 2            | Andhra Pradesh            | 69.55                                                                                |
| 3            | Arunachal Pradesh         | 63.2                                                                                 |
| 4            | Assam                     | 33.84                                                                                |
| 5            | Bihar                     | 683.53                                                                               |
| 6            | Chandigarh                | 0                                                                                    |
| 7            | Chhattisgarh              | 487.25                                                                               |
| 8            | Dadra & Nagar Haveli      | 0                                                                                    |
| 9            | Daman & Diu               | 0                                                                                    |
| 10           | Delhi                     | NIL                                                                                  |
| 11           | Goa                       | 13.47                                                                                |
| 12           | Gujarat                   | 15.84                                                                                |
| 13           | Haryana                   | 1069.31                                                                              |
| 14           | Himachal Pradesh          | 575.37                                                                               |
| 15           | Jammu & Kashmir           | 158.4                                                                                |
| 16           | Jharkhand                 | 14.69                                                                                |
| 17           | Karnataka                 | 2187.68                                                                              |
| 18           | Kerala                    | 0                                                                                    |
| 19           | Ladakh                    | 0                                                                                    |
| 20           | Lakshadweep               | 0                                                                                    |
| 21           | Madhya Pradesh            | 1513.75                                                                              |
| 22           | Maharashtra               | 346.44                                                                               |
| 23           | Manipur                   | 0                                                                                    |
| 24           | Meghalaya                 | 7.92                                                                                 |
| 25           | Mizoram                   | 31.4                                                                                 |
| 26           | Nagaland                  | 21.08                                                                                |
| 27           | Odisha                    | 200.16                                                                               |
| 28           | Puducherry                | 58.29                                                                                |
| 29           | Punjab                    | 293.2                                                                                |
| 30           | Rajasthan                 | 794.4                                                                                |
| 31           | Sikkim                    | 28.5                                                                                 |
| 32           | Tamil Nadu                | 553.2                                                                                |
| 33           | Telangana                 | 216.34                                                                               |
| 34           | Tripura                   | 99.69                                                                                |
| 35           | Uttar Pradesh             | 649.32                                                                               |
| 36           | Uttarakhand               | 0                                                                                    |
| 37           | West Bengal               | 3.6                                                                                  |
| TOTAL STATES |                           | 10189.42                                                                             |