Kerala is all set to have its first tele-ICU in Kozhikode

• Kerala’s first tele-ICU set up at Government Beach Hospital 
• Tele-ICU would function 24X7 at Covid hospitals. 
• NHM funds utilized to set up the facility 

THD NewsDesk, Kozhikode: On November 1, Kerala Health Minister K Shailaja inaugurated Kerala’s first Tele-ICU, established at the Government Beach Hospital. NHM has sponsored this revolutionary innovation in health tech, an outstanding example of a public-private partnership.

The facility is equipped to provide round-the-clock critical care of patients at the Covid-19 hospital. Supervised by a team of intensivists from the command center of Meitra Hospital, the medical facility aims to cover up for the shortage of intensivists in the public healthcare sector. 

“There are more than 3 lac ICU beds, but less than 5000 intensivists in the country. The gap is huge & cannot be left unaddressed, especially when it comes to life-saving critical care treatments. Technology advancements have ensured that we can now democratize quality healthcare and bring it closer to people through wider access. Our Tele-ICU setup is a proud Made-in-India solution that is at par with global standards. Our team of intensivists will monitor the Tele-ICUs from our Command Center based at Meitra Hospital, which will offer round-the-clock monitoring of critical care patients. We have also trained the staff at Beach Hospital so that they stay abreast of the new technology,” informed Dr. P Mohanakrishnan, CEO, Meitra Hospital.

Addressing the virtual inauguration ceremony, K Shailaja informed that Kerala’s health department has taken up the initiative to set up an ICU with 22 beds at the Government Beach Hospital. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the project would be funded by NHM funds. To ensure 24X7 security within the facility, Meitra hospital has installed high-definition cameras and software at the general hospital ICU. The cameras are further connected to the command center for 24-hour monitoring of patients.

Source: ET Healthworld