National Health Mission: In Rural Madhya Pradesh, Telemedicine Becomes Key To Curing Non-Communicable Diseases

The NHM envisages the achievement of universal access to equitable, affordable & quality healthcare services that are accountable and responsive to people's needs.

The Telemedicine program of the National Health Mission, Government of Madhya Pradesh is making a significant impact in combating Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) through the innovative use of technology. The telemedicine initiative under the National Health Mission is providing specialist doctor consultations to over 550 primary health centres (PHCs) in the rural areas of 20 districts in the state in collaboration with health-tech social enterprises like Golcal Healthcare. The success of the program has been especially noteworthy in the forested and tribal regions where a majority of PHCs have been grappling with a lack of doctors. By leveraging telemedicine, people in these underserved areas are now gaining access to specialist doctors from major cities like Bhopal, Delhi, NOIDA, and Jaipur, bridging the gap in healthcare accessibility.

Madhya Pradesh faces a significant challenge with over 20% of its population suffering from hypertension, while 6% of telemedicine patients have been diagnosed with NCDs. Among these patients, more than 60% battle hypertension, and 30% grapple with diabetes. NCDs pose a considerable burden, not only impacting people's health but also affecting their potential productivity.

The NHM envisages the achievement of universal access to equitable, affordable & quality healthcare services that are accountable and responsive to people's needs. Former IAS officer and a doctor by profession, Dr. Sabahat Azim along with a dedicated group of professionals founded Glocal Healthcare to provide rural citizens affordable healthcare by harnessing cutting-edge technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), Point of Care (PoC) devices, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Through this initiative, Glocal connects more than 1.5 lakh patients in Madhya Pradesh to specialist doctors every month, empowering patients with expert medical guidance. For its telemedicine initiative, Glocal Healthcare was also awarded Gold award for 'Excellence in Social Initiatives' at FICCI’s Healthcare Excellence Awards.

The Telemedicine program has recently completed 2 years, during which 23,75,369 patients have been treated in rural areas by connecting them to specialist doctors through teleconsultations.

One of the program's critical contributions lies in its AI-enabled Clinical Decision Support System – LitmusDX, which plays a crucial role in accurate diagnosis and treatment. The system aids doctors in making well-informed decisions, thus enhancing overall healthcare outcomes.

Globally, NCDs account for 66% of all deaths, with 41 million lives lost each year, and 17 million of those deaths being premature and preventable. In India alone, last year, over 60 lakh lives were claimed by NCDs. The telemedicine program in Madhya Pradesh is at the forefront of the fight against NCDs, leading in their diagnosis, treatment, and management.