Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has started fabricating country's first exclusive health satellite, which would further give a fillip to telemedicine network, which is aimed at ultimately covering the entire country. ISRO has already been gathering inputs from the medical community to meet the satellite requirements in accordance with their needs.
If we launch a health satellite, it would be dream come true, Dr. K Kasturirangan, chairman Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) told media persons at the inauguration of the at the first live Indian conclave on the medical aspects of telemedicine. More details were not disclosed.
According to the ISRO chief, benefits of space technology in health care with remote sensing and image processing were significant. Efforts were on by ISRO in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and ISRO to locate the breeding grounds of vector-bound diseases particularly malaria. The materials used in space technology were now recycled for medical aids like dentures and Jaipur foot. The extensions of telemedicine links would be a base for training medical professionals in remote areas about the latest in medical science.
The impact of space medicine on the biological systems of astronauts and cosmonauts cannot be ignored as several studies and research connected with blood circulation, micro gravity areas, space sickness and depletion of calcium were detected with space medicine instruments by the Institute of Aviation Medicine, Bangalore were on. In fact the Columbia space shuttle that saw an unfortunate end could have given a new dimension to medical instruments used in space, he said.
India can become a platform for world medical care with the progress in telemedicine efforts. There can be sweeping changes in the health care sector with the synergy of space communication, medicine and information technology, averred the Space Chief. “ISRO was making concerted efforts to look for more efficient and reliable innovations in the space parameters like beaming power and switching connectivity, he added.
D B Inamdar, minister for information technology, government of Karnataka government of Karnataka said that the government hospitals in the State are getting ready to be connected. “We are hoping that taluk medical centres and primary health centres also come into the network.”
Dr. S S Badrinath, chairman Sankara Nethrayala, Chennai said that blind ness could be prevented with the two programmes: Vision 20:20 and Teleophthalmology. “The dearth for ophthalmologists in India could be converted into an advantage with teleophthalmology more so in the rural areas which had a large blind population. Early diagnosis of glaucoma and diabetes retinopathy could be made with Teleophthalmology which is currently on between ophthalmologists in Chennai and Bangalore who exchange diagnostic techniques via satellite. “Efforts are on to extend the service to the rural areas of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Besides, Sankara Nethrayala had teamed up with Rotary Club to provide the service in Andaman and Nicobar islands.
The telemedicine efforts by Narayana Hrudayalaya, and the Rabindranth Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Kolkata have seen the implementation of 18 successful telemedicine programmes to over 1,600 patients in the last 16 months. Despite having the highest number of doctors, nurses and allied medical professional, only 8 percent had access to cardiac surgeries.