triPura use of teleMeDicine for iMProveD healthcare outcoMes 56 | MAkING A Difference : Good, Replicable and Innovative Practices
Telemedicine-55000 patients of remote areas have been treated/ c<strong>on</strong>sulted/referred so far and w<strong>on</strong> e-North East award in 2013 ProbleM stateMent Tripura is a small State in NE Z<strong>on</strong>e with 65% of its area in hilly terrain and difficult to reach. For health services, dependency is completely <strong>on</strong> government sector. But due to difficult geographic terrain, health accessibility is poor. PrograMMe DescriPti<strong>on</strong> In the first Tele-medicine Projects at Tripura (Phase I), facilities have been set up at 3 referral Centres (GBP Hospital, Cancer Hospital, IGM Hospital, Agartala) and 5 Nodal Centres in remote/hilly areas (Gandacherra, Kanchanpur, Chailengta, Amarpur SDH and Kathalia PHC) using 2 Mbps/512 Kbps leased line. In the 2nd Project (Phase II) the facilities have been setup for various diseases at 6 more Nodal Centres (Melaghar, Sabroom, Bel<strong>on</strong>ia SDH, Kumarghat CHC, Kulai and Natunbazar PHC) The same has been extended to another 6 Nodal centres in Phase III (Khowai SDH, Takarjala CHC, Ompinagar CHC, Hrishyamukh PHC, Damcherra PHC and Chawmanu PHC. So far 55000 patients of these remote areas have been treated/c<strong>on</strong>sulted/referred. Medical services have been provided for different types of diseases that include Leprosy, tropical diseases, Paediatrics, Orthopaedics, cardiology, Medicine, Dermatology, neurology, radiology, Oncology etc. financial investMent Setting up of Telemedicine Facility in Tripura (SUTF). Project Cost: 287 lakh, Deployment of telemedicine in tripura, Project ii (DOtP) Project Cost: 282 lakh, Deployment of telemedicine at remote cHc/PHc in tripura, Project Cost: 296 lakh were funded by DeitY and GoI. Deployment of telemedicine at remote DH/SDH in tripura. Project Cost: 85.65 lakh was funded by nHM, government of tripura. Informati<strong>on</strong> and Communicati<strong>on</strong> technology in general and tele-medicine in particular, have reached different parts of Tripura. The tele-medicine facility, particularly the videoc<strong>on</strong>ferencing systems, will henceforth also be used for c<strong>on</strong>tinuing medical educati<strong>on</strong> for the isolated health practiti<strong>on</strong>ers of these remote areas who do not have access to professi<strong>on</strong>al discourses or educati<strong>on</strong>al opportunities. It will also be used to educate or to provide necessary training to paramedical pers<strong>on</strong>nel serving in the vast and densely populated rural areas in discharging their duties i.e. to administer immunisati<strong>on</strong>, educate people <strong>on</strong> mother-child health programmes, and render advice <strong>on</strong> family planning and collect data <strong>on</strong> the rural populati<strong>on</strong>’s growth, birth and immunisati<strong>on</strong> rates. The comprehensive database of patients – offline as well as real-time created at the centres will be gainfully used for the significant improvement in medicati<strong>on</strong> management. references 1. “implementati<strong>on</strong> of telemedicine in tripura - A case Study with Details for replicati<strong>on</strong>” published by “centre for innovati<strong>on</strong>s in Public Systems (ciPS), which is an aut<strong>on</strong>omous organisati<strong>on</strong> funded by Govt. of India”. 2. eNorth East award 2013. C<strong>on</strong>tact General Manager (Projects) Email: ebdeep.bandyopadhyay@webel-india.com scalability The Technology developed is c<strong>on</strong>tinuously being upgraded and customised to satisfy the requirements of the doctors <strong>on</strong> the basis of the feedback received. It has been observed that most of the doctors are interested in Tele-medicine. By implementing Telemedicine Projects in the Government the journey towards e-Governance, the benefits of 57