Cisco
announced the launch of its Cisco healthcare solution pilot program to enable
remote healthcare for two primary healthcare centers from the district hospital
in Shimoga district.
The chief
minister of Karnataka, Shri D.V Sadananda Gowda, and Aravind Sitaraman,
president of Inclusive Growth, Cisco, attended the event.
With this
project, Cisco advances its Inclusive Growth vision of using technology to
bridge the urban-rural gap.
Recently,
Cisco launched the initiative so that rural communities can get access to
essential urban services like healthcare, education, a marketplace and access
to public services through technology and bring them into the mainstream
economy. Using the network as a platform, these services can bring about
transformational change and greatly reduce the urban-rural divide.
In the
Shimoga pilot, the healthcare solution will connect primary healthcare centres
(PHC) at Kuppagadde in Soraba Taluk and Guttiyadehalli in Thirthahalli Taluk to
McGann hospital in Shimoga city.
Two other
PHCs located at Antaragange in Bhadravathi Taluk and Kappanahalli in
Shikaripura Taluk will be connected to the District Hospital within a month.
Patients visiting these two PHCs will have their vitals checked by the
paramedic/nurse at the centre while the doctor at the McGann district hospital
provides consultation and diagnosis in real time.
Nearly 70
percent of India’s population lives in rural areas, but 80 percent of the total
available doctors are in urban areas and patients often have to travel long
distances at great cost to get quality healthcare. This gap, coupled with the
shortage of local doctors, poses a huge challenge for delivery of rural
healthcare system. Cisco’s solution alleviates these issues for the rural
population.
“A
significant number of population lives in the rural areas in Karnataka, and
this is the case with the entire nation too. Empowering and encouraging growth
in rural areas is pertinent to the overall growth of any state or the country.
In this regard Cisco Inclusive Growth solutions are a step in the right
direction. I want to congratulate Cisco on its mission to provide access to
healthcare using its technology. Their solution will, more than ever, ensure
better access to medical treatment for the population of Shimoga,” said D.V Sadananda
Gowda, chief minister, Karnataka.
The
proactive initiatives of the government of Karnataka to use Cisco technologies to provide remote healthcare is a positive step to leapfrog these
challenges and bring about inclusive growth.
“Healthcare
in India is a major concern for those who cannot afford it or access it. While
this amenity is available easily to urban population at very affordable rates,
it is not ubiquitous in rural areas. Governments across all states of India
recognize this gap. While some are in the process to adopt new solution towards
making an impactful change, others are starting to do so,” said Aravind Sitaraman,
president, Inclusive Growth, Cisco.
By Telecomlead.com Team
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