SEHAT(Social Endeavour for Health and Telemedicine) is launched in line with Digital India vision. This initiative will boost the telemedicine mission in India which focus on the use of telecommunication and information technologies in order to provide clinical health care at a distance.
Main Highlights and benefits of the Scheme:

• SEHAT(Social Endeavour for Health and Telemedicine)is an initiative in furtherance to Government’s commitment to empower rural citizens in having access to information, knowledge, skills and other services in various sectors through the intervention of digital technologies.
• This is launched by GOI in collaboration with Apollo hospitals.
• Focus is to provide these services in about 60,000 common service centres (CSC) wherein the medical staff of Apollo Hospitals will communicate and prescribe generic medicines onlinethrough collaboration with Ministry of Health, by setting up Jan Aasudhi Stores.
• CSC will be the catalyst in bringing about a change in educating and providing medical services to the rural population.
• This scheme will immensely help in reducing the mortality rates in the country, as the highest MMR and IMR has been observed in the remote areas in the country.
• Telemedicine can provide rural population access for basic, specialty and super specialty consultations. Since 80% of conditions do not require a doctor’s physical presence immediately, they can be dealt with through telemedicine.
• Lessen the inconvenience and/or cost of patient transfers.
• Reduce unnecessary travel time for health professionals

Analysis:

• Telemedicine technology can bring revolution to the field of medicine. Using a number of high-speed satellite and terrestrial telecommunications links, centralization and coordination of resources, and support of government, it has been possible to reach and access the Indian population spread out in heterogeneous geography and thus achieve the goal of health for all. India has taken a lead in this field among the developing countries. However, all the activities need to be evaluated in a national framework, and many issues, such as national e-health policy, and legal/ethical issues need to be addressed.
• But there are some challenges also in this technology while implementing in India: a) The proposition of this initiative looks simple on the paper but the execution might turn out to be tough and complex; b) Many questions arise on the quality of service that can provided with the internet being the only mediator between the patient and doctor; c) In approx. 45% villages still not have electricity and infrastructure ; d) Illetarcy and lack of technology. ; e) There are many issue that should be considered regarding the security, privacy and confidentiality of patient data, in telemedicine consultations How are patients’ rights of confidentiality of their personal data ensured and protected; f) Legal and ethical issues in cross border consultation