The rural health scheme "Chattissa", under which people living in rural areas are provided treatment for critical diseases through telemedicine, is running successfully in 12 Panchayats of Bihar, during its first phase.
With the success of the pilot project in 12 Panchayats, the scheme would be extended in other Panchayats in the state, Health Minister Ashwani Choubey said in reply to a starred question of BJP's Sanjay Sarawgi in Legislative Assembly here today.
The 12 Panchayats where the project was launched two months back come under Patna, Nalanda, Gopalganj, Saran, Siwan, Samastipur and Darbhanga districts, he said.
There are 8,500 Panchayats in Bihar.
As a part of the Central government scheme, run in coordination with the state government, "Chattissa" (name of youths enrolled in the project) provide facility of telemedicine to patients in rural areas through video conferencing with leading doctors of AIIMS in Patna.
Educated youths with working knowledge of computer are engaged in the scheme.
These representatives have the power to refer serious patients suffering from diseases related to heart, kidney and cancer to newly opened AIIMS hospital in the state capital, the minister said.
