Uttar Pradesh Approves Telemedicine Centre of Excellence at KGMU to Strengthen eSanjeevani Services
The Uttar Pradesh government has approved the establishment of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for telemedicine at King George’s Medical University (KGMU), a move expected to improve the quality and reliability of online medical consultations across the state. The initiative is aimed at strengthening services delivered through the eSanjeevani 2.0 platform, which is widely used by residents of remote villages and small towns to access medical advice without travelling long distances to hospitals.
The proposal for the CoE was submitted by the nodal in-charge of telemedicine at KGMU, Dr. Sheetal Verma. The project will be supported by a grant from BMGF (the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), according to a press release issued on Thursday. Developed in consultation with domain experts and government stakeholders, the plan focuses on addressing key challenges in telemedicine, particularly those related to clinical quality, accurate diagnosis, and proper documentation. While telemedicine has become an essential healthcare option for people with limited access to tertiary hospitals, ensuring consistent standards of care has remained a concern.
“Telemedicine has significantly expanded healthcare access, but maintaining uniform quality across consultations is a challenge,” Dr Verma said. “The Centre of Excellence at KGMU will help bridge these gaps by introducing structured oversight and clinical support.”
Under the initiative, doctors and healthcare staff will be trained, standard treatment protocols will be prepared, and regular quality audits of teleconsultations will be conducted. It will also work closely with agencies such as the National Health Mission and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing to ensure smooth implementation of services.
To improve clinical accuracy, mentors and Group Practice Managers (GPMs) will be deployed to monitor consultations and provide real-time guidance. The programme also plans to expand access to specialist telemedicine services for patients across the state. KGMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Soniya Nityanand said the initiative would help make healthcare delivery more equitable. “Improving the quality of teleconsultations is essential for ensuring fair access to healthcare,” she said, adding that telemedicine will play a key role in shaping the future of healthcare delivery in India.
