Telemedicine in the Indian context: an overview.

One sixth of humanity accounting for 1100 million people live in India. India is generally considered to be a developing country and certainly there is considerable scope for improving the per capita income and the average standard of life. India however is a paradox. We now produce and launch our own satellites. Information is being gathered regarding the feasibility of launching a HEALTHSAT - a satellite exclusively for purposes of health care. There has been an unprecedented growth and development in Information Technology. Satellite transmission, fiber optic cables, increasing band width, fall in computer prices, licensing of private internet service providers, internet thro' cable etc have become the buzz words even in suburban and rural India. Theoretically, it is easier to set up an excellent telecommunication infrastructure in suburban and rural India, to increase the reach of the limited number of urban specialists, than to place hundreds of specialists in places devoid of specialists. Telemedicine therefore is the answer. It is universally acknowledged that Indians have made enormous contributions in the field of information technology. We no longer have to follow or piggy back. We now leap frog!!