Ravi Shankar Prasad launches government’s new health initiative ‘SEHAT’

Launched in association with Apollo Hospitals, the venture would expand the reach of telemedicine in the country

Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, and Minister of Law and Justice launched the government’s latest health and IT initiative called Social Endeavour for Health And Telemedicine (SEHAT) at the India Habitat Centre in Delhi. This venture with the Apollo Hospitals is expected to connect 60,000 common service centres (CSCs) across the country to a common network and provide healthcare access to millions of citizens irrespective of geographical location or connectivity.

Dr Prathap C Reddy, Chairman Apollo Hospitals said, “This initiative of ‘SEHAT’, shall connect the largest population of our country on a common network to avail telehealth services. Apollo Hospitals has always been committed to providing the DIGITAL DIVIDEND to all Indians. We are very proud to have launched India’s first telemedicine centre in 2000 which was launched in Aragonda and it was inaugurated by the then President of the United States, Bill Clinton. Through our PM’s ‘DIGITAL INDIA’ initiative more Indians shall get access to e-services and we are delighted to be a partner with the GOI in this path breaking endeavour to link SEHAT to 60,000 CSCs.

Sangita Reddy, Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals said, “Telemedicine can provide rural population access for basic, specialty and super specialty consultations. Since 80 per cent of conditions do not require a doctor’s physical presence immediately, they can be dealt with through telemedicine. Most lifestyle and communicable diseases fall into this category. It is indeed a privilege for us to work with the Government of India and the Hon’ble Minister in making history by starting the world’s largest telemedicine programme in the world today.”