Teleconsultation is the future of India's health system, emphasises Mandaviya
May 07, 2022
Narmada (Gujarat) [India], May 7 : Emphasising the Centre's commitment to providing health services to the last mile, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday said teleconsultation is the future of India's health system.
Union Health Minister addressed the concluding session of 'Swasthya Chintan Shivir', the 14th Conference of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW), at Kevadia, Gujarat on May 5-7. 
Highlighting the importance of working in the spirit of cooperative federalism, Mandaviya said, "States goals provide us national goals. They provide us roadmap for various policies. The citizen in the last mile should be our priority for delivery of health services."
The Minister emphasized that "health is not commerce but a seva for us. We are committed to promoting medical tourism and 'Heal by India' and 'Heal in India' are the two vital pillars of our health ecosystem in the years to come which will position India as a global health leader."
Mandaviya appealed to all stakeholders to join the soon-to-be-launched 'TB Patient/Village Adoption' scheme where everyone can adopt TB patients and ensure their well-being, people nourishment, timely diagnosis and prompt treatment. "This will contribute immensely to our goal of TB-Free India by 2025", he stated.
He further said that "Teleconsultation is the future of our health systems and we should work towards promoting it on a large scale as it provides a perfect platform to provide health services to the last mile."
Mandaviya also invited collaboration for the national initiative for clearing the backlog of cataract surgery. He urged state ministers to popularise teleconsultation through e-Sanjeevani.
The Union Minister requested state ministers to popularise and expedite the implementation of ABHA- Ayushman Bharat Health Account in the States. "Ayushman Bharat Nation Digital Health Mission is an important scheme to propel India to a digital revolution in the health sector. We should work towards creating an ABHA ID on a war footing. This scheme ensures privacy with service delivery," he stated.
On the third day of the 'Swasthya Chintan Shivir', thematic sessions on best practices of States, India's public health response and learnings from the COVID-19, preparing India for future health emergencies, Heal in India and Heal by India, and road map for a healthy India were organized, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
State health ministers, health secretaries, state health representatives, representatives from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, NITI Ayog, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and scientists participated in the three-day-long conference.
