COVID-19: Ex-Defence doctors to provide online consultation on e-Sanjeevani OPD
May 07, 2021
New Delhi [India], May 7 : Ex-Defence doctors will now provide online consultation on e-Sanjeevani OPD to all citizens of the country, the Ministry of Defence said on Friday.
As per an official release, veterans have come forward and offered their services to help the people needing medical care.
Ministry said Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar and Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) Surgeon Vice Admiral Rajat Datta addressed the veterans who have come forward to offer their services, via video conferencing today.
"This service can be availed by any civilian on the website https://esanjeevaniopd.in/," the Ministry said.
Notably, e-Sanjeevani OPD is a flagship telemedicine platform of the Government, developed by the Centre for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC), Mohali under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). It provides free tele-consultation services to people in need.
"However, due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, the demand for doctors is up while the supply has reduced as doctors are being pulled out for COVID ward duties. This is where the defence veterans are stepping in to help," the release stated.
It said that the Medical Branch of Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) headquarters is providing telemedicine service for the serving and retired defence personnel and has coordinated with MoHFW and NIC to roll out this ex-Defence OPD for civilian patients.
According to Defence Ministry, Chief IDS (Medical) Lt Gen Madhuri Kanitkar has urged the fraternity of retired AFMS doctors to join this platform and provide valuable consultation to the citizens when the country is going through a difficult time
"There has been a good response from the retired defence doctors and more are expected to join soon. Subsequently, a separate nation-wide Ex-Defence Doctors OPD is envisaged. Their vast experience and expertise will help the larger clientele to obtain consultation from their homes and tide over the current situation," it added.