Over one lakh health and wellness centers have been started in the country and out of these, teleconsultation would begin in one lakh centres from April 16, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday. This facility was aimed at people living in remote villages who needed medical advice from health experts, he noted.
The Minister chaired a meeting through videoconference with the health Ministers and senior officials of all the States and Union Territories to review the operationalisation status of Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs), teleconsultation services and physical and financial progress made under the Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package: Phase-II (ECRP-II package).
Dr. Mandaviya stated, “e-Sanjeevani is providing affordable and accessible healthcare as envisioned by the Prime Minister. People in many States have been quick to recognise the benefits of e-Sanjeevani and this has led to an encouraging trend of widespread rapid adoption of this digital modality of seeking health services’’.
AB-HWCs health melas
He advised the stakeholders to spread awareness on AB-HWCs health melas that would be organised from April 18-22 in addition to the yoga sessions to be organised on April 17 at all HWCs.
“On the first day, i.e. 16th April 2022, live broadcast of celebration will connect with primary health care team members in more than 75,000 AB-HWCs and citizens who have received services, through the teleconsultation. The celebration will also witness the launch of Indian Public Health Standards [IPHS] and Public Health Management Cadre [PHMC] guidelines. Top three States /UTs reporting the highest number of teleconsultation services, States who have already achieved their December 2022 targets along with good performing states in TB Mukt Bharat Campaign shall be felicitated,’’ a release issued by the Ministry said.
It added that from April 18, block health melas at AB-HWCs in at least one block in each district of the State/UT would be inaugurated across the country. Each block health mela would be for one day and each block in the State was to be covered.
