Telemedicine units launched for people with chronic illnesses in Wayanad

In view of the lockdown, the Wayanad district administration in association with Sree Chitra Tele Health Unit (SeTHU ) of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, and the Health Department has launched a telemedicine project for patients with chronic diseases.

“The project envisages providing the services of specialty and super-specialty physicians from outside the district for patients with chronic illnesses and provide medicines to them at their doorstep during the lockdown period,” K.K. Muhammed Aslam, nodal officer of the project, said.

“Many a time, patients in the district are depending on super-specialty hospitals such as Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, SCTIMST and Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, owing to the dearth of such medical care facilities in the hill district,” Dr. Aslam said.

“Moreover, many of them were now finding it difficult to reach

hospitals on time for follow-up treatment or to buy medicines,” he added.

SeTHU has provided two telemedicine units for the project. Each air-conditioned units are customised vehicles with modern facilities such as dedicated servers for telecommunication, digital stethoscope, electronic cardiogram, and facilities for videoconferencing. The services of trained staff, including doctors, nurses and driver-cum-technician, will be provided by SeTHU. The units will be camped on Government Higher Secondary School premises at Mananthavadi and SKMJ Higher Secondary School premises here.

Patients should register their names for availing of the service. For details, contact telemedicine control room phone number — 04936203400.