Not many takers for ‘eSanjeevani’ telemedicine scheme, says study
According to the conclusions of the poll, the digital health gap that exists throughout the country is still a big source of worry.
NEW DELHI: Only nine per cent population in rural India has availed the Centre’s flagship eSanjeevani telemedicine programme that provides patient-to-doctor consultations, a nationwide survey by an independent think tank has revealed.
The survey, which covered 6,478 people in 20 states, found that the reach and availability of telemedicine services are more in the South than in other parts of the country. The survey findings showed that the digital health divide continues to be a major area of concern.
Ninety-one per cent of respondents expressed that they have never availed of telemedicine services for their household members, said the survey conducted by the Development Intelligence Unit (DIU), a collaborative venture between Transform Rural India (TRI) and Sambodhi Research and Communications.
“Despite great efforts by the government for promoting teleconsultation services through eSanjeevani, only 9 per cent of the respondents have utilised telemedicine services. Also, usage of telemedicine services is higher in the southern part,” said the survey, which sheds light on critical and contemporary aspects of the nation’s rural health system.
The Centre launched the programme in November 2019 with the aim to deliver healthcare services in rural areas and remote communities by leveraging the power of technology.
“During COVID, e-Sanjeevani has shown up as a blessing and since then its acceptance and reach has increased. Instead of its huge success and potential, a large number of people are not using e-Sanjeevani,” said Shyamal Santra, Associate Director and National Lead-Health and Nutrition, TRI.
Till July, the official data of e-sanjeevani dashboard is 139 million consultations.
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