In a groundbreaking development, the Aarogya-Doctor on Wheels, a cutting-edge mobile telemedicine clinic empowered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), is reshaping healthcare accessibility for remote communities in the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Lok Sabha constituency of Jammu and Kashmir. On Saturday, Union Minister for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, disclosed that this pioneering initiative has successfully delivered crucial medical assistance to nearly 13,000 patients.
Aligned with the Digital Health Mission and Ayushman Bharat, this innovative super-speciality mobile hospital provides doorstep consultations with medical professionals, effectively bridging the urban-rural healthcare divide, Singh explained.
Highlighting the uniqueness of the service, Singh pointed out that Aarogya-Doctor on Wheels is the first healthcare facility of its kind, entirely digital and spearheaded by two independent startup groups from North and South India, operating without government support.
Utilizing cutting-edge technology, the clinic employs an advanced methodology where patients can describe their symptoms or concerns in their native language. The AI Doctor comprehends and responds in the same language, Singh elucidated.
Patients visiting the clinic undergo comprehensive screening and investigations before consulting with super-specialist doctors from renowned hospitals in metropolitan cities such as Hyderabad and Bengaluru. This streamlined process, from examination to prescription, typically takes around 45 minutes, a significant improvement compared to traditional hospital visits that could span several days, Singh emphasized. Importantly, all services are provided free of cost, funded through voluntary contributions.
Singh underscored the substantial impact of the initiative on women, noting that a majority of beneficiaries are female. Out of over 11,000 beneficiaries in areas including Doda, Hiranagar, and Kathua-Billawar, more than 6,000 were women.
The mobile clinic, currently in its fourth phase, continues to extend its reach to remote areas such as Dudu Basantgarh in the upper reaches of Ramnagar block. Out of 1,452 beneficiaries across 56 villages and 22 Panchayats, over 800 women have availed consultations.
The Minister elaborated on the previous phases of the initiative, which covered villages in the Gandoh area of Doda district, Zero Line villages along the International Border, and the upper regions of Bilawar.
Singh underscored how the free telemedicine service addresses key healthcare challenges of accessibility, availability, and affordability, particularly in remote regions.
To further enhance patient convenience, prescribed medicines are provided free of charge, alongside the distribution of medicine kits containing essential drugs to families across the constituency, Singh concluded.
