VIJAYAWADA: “Telemedicine is the need of the hour as over 70 percent of the cardiac arrests and brain-stroke cases are just a tablet away,” said Dr P Ramesh Babu, during the launch of State chapter of Telemedicine Society of India, here on Friday.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ramesh said Telemedicine is the need of the hour as 60% of the population in India reside in rural areas and are either deprived of health care or receiving inadequate medical facilities. “Deaths due to heart attack, brain-stroke, accidents, trauma and other causes can be prevented through Telemedicine, which is gaining popularity all over the world. In Andhra Pradesh, the State government is also taking active initiatives in the field of Telemedicine. The need is huge, so only a few in villages are able to access basic medical facilities and visiting health centres. In order to reach out to the last man, Telemedicine is what is required.” he added.
Addressing the gathering, CEO of Real Time Governance A Babu said, “The State government has very limited finances. Even then we believe in using the brains and that is why we are still able to work despite having over R15000 crore deficit budget. With the cutting edge technology, we are cutting expenses, leakages from over 30 departments. We strongly believe that technology can take health care to the extreme rural places and Telemedicine is the right system for that”.
Telemedicine is of recent origin in the country and Telemedicine Society of India was formed in 2004. In Vijayawada, Ramesh Hospitals took the lead and established 17 Telemedicine centers in Krishna, Guntur and West Godavari Districts. National president of TSI Ashok Kumar Sangal, Vice Chancellor of Dr NTR University of Health Sciences Dr. C.V.Rao attended the event.