New Delhi: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh on Thursday said that the telemedicine technology could save India around 5 billion US dollars annually. The telemedicine is no longer an option but a necessity, added the minister.
The Minister said that Digital health is the next frontier to ensure healthcare delivery is accessible, available, and affordable.
Addressing the CII Asia Health 2021 summit on the theme of ‘Transforming Healthcare for a better tomorrow’, the minister called for innovative healthcare solutions like telemedicine in a country like India, where there is a shortage of medical professionals, and millions of people live in rural areas without direct access to proper healthcare or treatment.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that the implementation of tele-medicine technology could save India between 4-5 billion US dollars every year and replace half of in-person outpatient consultations.
“Telemedicine in the country has proven to be cost effective by about 30 per cent less than equivalent in-person visits”, said Dr Jitendra Singh.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given very high priority to the Health Sector increasing the spending on healthcare by 137 per cent and is in line with industry expectations of 2.5 to 3 per cent of the GDP, and also the GDP National Health Policy 2017 target of 2.5 per cent by 2025. The Minister informed that India will spend Rs 2.23 lakh crore on healthcare this year including Rs 35,000 crore on Covid-19 vaccines.
“Health technology is becoming central to healthcare as it leads to improvement of health literacy, patient empowerment and engagement, and enable better self-management of care”, said the minister, adding that it is also one of the key components of efforts to improve the quality, efficiency and safety of healthcare delivery while lowering healthcare costs.
The Minister said that various health care schemes launched by the Modi government such as PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, Ayushman Bharat Jan ArogyaYojana, Ayushman Health and Wellness Centres, Pradhan MantriBhartiyaJanaushadhiPariyojana (PMBJP) and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission have made healthcare facilities accessible and affordable to millions of the poor people in the country.
