Mahajan inaugurates telemedicine system

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI, APRIL 13. India's first tele-medicine system, set up by the Apollo Hospitals group, was today commissioned by the Union Minister for Information Technology and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Pramod Mahajan, at Aragonda, a semi-urban jaggery town in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.

It operates with the help of the satellite facility provided by ISRO while companies such as Citadel and Wipro have extended their support. Aragonda is connected with the Apollo superspecialities hospitals at Chennai and Hyderabad and the system benefits a population of 50,000.

Mr. Mahajan described the launching of telemedicine as a turning point in the country's healthcare system as it sought to provide quality medicare even to the poor. He said healthcare was a luxury even today to nearly 95 per cent of the population though the country had 4.10 lakh doctors, nearly 150 medical colleges and 13,600 hospitals with an overall 8.10 lakh bed- strength.

Complementing the Apollo Group for the venture, he hoped other corporate hospitals would replicate it.

Dr. Pratap C. Reddy, Chairman of the Apollo Group, urged the Union Government to declare the health sector as infrastructure industry and help develop it on a par with other industries.

He said the reported move by the British Government to send its people to India for healthcare requirements was an acknowledgement of the capabilities of Indian medical professionals and corporate hospitals. .

Dr.N. Sivaprasad, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Information and Public Relations, the Chittoor MP, Mr.N. Ramakrishna Reddy, Mr. M.R.Sivaraman, former Secretary, Union Ministry of Finance, Ms.Karen Jones, Director, International Socio-Economic Programme, British Aerospace, the Chittoor District Collector, Mr. Krishnaiah, and the Superintendent of Police, Chittoor, Mr.T.A.Tripathi, were among the participants at the function.

Mr. P.Sugunakar Reddy, Secretary of the Aragonda Apollo Hospital, welcomed the gathering. Dr. Preethi Reddy, Managing Director of the Group, proposed a vote of thanks.

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Section  : Regional
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