PUNE: Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) completed one year of telemedicine services to Yerwada jail prisoners. In the telemedicine services extended by the hospital to various stakeholders, Yerwada jail prisoners are also included.
Speaking to Sakal Times, Dr Ajay Taware, Medical Superintendent of SGH, said that around 1,253 patients from the prison have sought help so far in the last one year. The services started from April 14 last year.
“The prisoners mainly need a police vehicle to visit the hospital, which requires a lot of manpower and time. In such cases, telemedicine helps a lot. The prisoners can seek help about basic treatment as well as expert opinions. This save a lot of time and efforts of the authorities,” said Taware.
He also added that, so far, 1,166 men and 87 women prisoners have sought help through telemedicine. Doctors mentioned that the patients enquired about chest, tuberculosis, dentistry, orthopaedics, skin, psychiatry, etc.
Talking to Sakal Times, Dr Harish Tatiya, SGH, said that other than prisoners, patients from nearby Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) also seek help through telemedicine.
“Around 3,819 patients from the periphery of the city have also sought help from the telemedicine service. This saves money for the patients, as they do not have to come to the hospital,” said Tatiya.
