New Delhi (NVI): Telemedicine has emerged as an important technology to ensure citizen safety through efficient communication to fight COVID-19 pandemic.
Telemedicine is the distribution of health-related services and information through electronic information and telecommunication technologies.
Leveraging this technology, Smart Cities are collaborating with medical practitioners (certified doctors and health experts) in the city to provide online medical consultation facilities to citizens.
The guidelines issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in collaboration with NITI Aayog and Indian Medical Council, allow remote delivery of medical services during the lockdown period.
The guidelines also allow doctors to write prescriptions based on telephonic, textual or video conversations — chat, images, messaging, emails, fax and others.
Citizens can therefore consult certified medical practitioners without the need to go out of the house, reducing the risk of COVID-19 spread.
Smart Cities are also ensuring collaborated efforts of District Administration, District Police and City Administration to monitor the suspected cases of COVID-19.
Various cities have also started the facility of helpline numbers in the country, in which doctors or medical practitioners are stationed at the integrated command and control centre (ICCC). This will help the doctors to provide assistance in any situation.
