The Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee launched the much awaited telemedicine project on 3rd July, 2002 for the people of the A & N Islands by being in Delhi where he dedicated to the nation the INSAT-3C at Delhi Earth Station of Department of Space, which has linked the G.B. Pant Hospital, Port Blair with Sri Ramachandra Medical College & research Institute, Chennai, a Deemed University with super specialty hospital. Simultaneously, at Port Blair, the Telemedicine Centre was inaugurated by the Lt. Governor, Shri N.N.Jha same day at a function organised in this connection at the G.B.Pant Hospital Complex.

        The Indian Space Research Organisation has the main objective of using space science and technology for grassroots level applications. Today, INSAT and IRS (Indian remote Sensing) satellites launched by ISRO, are being used for various applications – communications, including those to remote and inaccessible areas; television broadcasting, including developmental education; meteorological services;disaster warning and natural resources survey and management. New areas of space applications continue to be explored by ISRO.

          One of the recent applications of space technology initiated by ISRO is in the field of telemedicine to provide expert medical services to the rural and remote areas. Under the Telemedicine project, Hospitals/health centers in remote locations are linked via INSAT  satellites with super specialty Hospitals at major towns/cities, bringing in connectivity between patients at remote end with the Specialist Doctors for medical consultations and treatment. Telemedicine pilot projects are undertaken by ISRO with the involvement of selected super specialty hospitals located in major cities and smaller health centers in distant and rural areas.

 About Telemedicine

        Telemedicine system consists of customized medical software integrated with computer hardware, along with medical diagnostic instruments connected to the commercial VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) at each location. Generally, the medical record/history of the patient is sent to the Specialist Doctors, who will in-turn study and provide diagnosis and treatment during videoconference with the patient’s end.

Advantages of Telemedicine

          Telemedicine helps patients in distant and rural areas to avail timely consultations of  Specialist Doctors without going through the ordeal of traveling long distances at large expense. The facility caters normally for transmission of patient’s medical images, records, output from medical devices and sound files,besides live two-way audio. With the help of theses, a Specialist Doctor could advise a Doctor or a paramedic at the patient’s end, online, on medical care or even guide the Doctor during a surgery. In the context of distant and rural areas, the telemedicine-based medical care is also highly cost effective.

Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Research Institute, Chennai

    Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Research Institute (SRMC & RI), Chennai was established  by Shri N P V Ramasamy Udaya in 1985 as a ‘not for profit’ Trust for medical education, health care and research. The institute, spread over an area of 175 acers, has been recognized as Deemed University since 1994. The College wing of SRMC & RI, with about 5500 students, offers Graduate and Post-graduate courses in various Medical and Para-medical Sciences, and super-specialty courses in Cardiology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Genito-urinary surgery and Cardio-thoracic surgery. The Hospital wing of the SRMC & RI has over 1500 bed and about 250 specialist Doctors.

G B Pant Hospital, Port Blair  

    Located in the premises of the historic Cellular Jail, the G B Pant Hospital at Port Blair is the only referral hospital for the entire group of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Set-up initially  in 1963, the Hospital everyday. The Hospital now has about 40 Doctors including a few specialists. Super Specialty services in cardiology, cardio-thoracic surgery, neurology, nephrology, gastro-enterology, urology, plastic surgery, etc. are obtained from the mainland. A & N Administration also provides Air Ambulance Services to patients with medical emergencies.

Other Space Technology Application Project/initiatives in Andaman & Nicobar Islands   

	Coastal Zone Management Plans
	Biodiversity Characterization at Landscape Level
	Fisheries Potential Forecasts
	Space Museum at Port Blair
	Remote Sensing Cell at Port Blair
	Satellite based Communications Back-bone for the Islands- for administration and technical education
	Natural Resources Information System (NRIS)

Some Telemedicine Projects of ISRO