A hub of the Sree Chitra Tele Health Unit (SeTHU ) of the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, will start functioning at the Government Tribal Specialty Hospital (Dr. Ambedkar Memorial District Cancer Centre) at Nallurnadu in Wayanad district from Friday.
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The hub, to be launched with the support of the Health department, is envisaged to provide telemedicine facilities to cancer patients who need expert treatment opinions from Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, Ancy Mary Jacob, superintendent of the hospital, told The Hindu. Follow-up treatment will also be available at the hub after interactions with experts, Dr. Ancy added.
SeTHU has provided two telemedicine units at the hub. Each air-conditioned units are customised vehicles with modern facilities such as dedicated servers for telecommunication, digital stethoscopes, electronic cardiogram, and facilities for videoconferencing. The services of trained staff, including nurses and driver-cum-technicians, will be provided by SeTHU. The units will be camped on the premises of the hub, she said.
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“Patients in the district usually depend on super-specialty hospitals such as Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, SCTIMST, and Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, for modern healthcare facilities owing to the dearth of such facilities in the hill district,” Dr. Ancy said. “Moreover, many of them are finding it difficult to reach hospitals in time for follow-up treatment. The hub will provide a succour to them,” she added.
The services of experts in cardiology, neurology, pulmonology, and nephrology as well as speciality services in general medicine, general surgery, dermatology, orthopaedics, and paediatrics will also be available at the hub, she added.
Patients should register their names for availing services. For details, contact the telemedicine hub phone number — 82811-13416.