AI-powered mobile clinic helping transform healthcare in Jammu and Kashmir

In a groundbreaking development, Aarogya-Doctor on Wheels, an innovative mobile telemedicine clinic driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI), has revolutionized healthcare access for remote communities in the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Lok Sabha constituency of Jammu and Kashmir. Union Minister for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, revealed on Saturday that this pioneering initiative has already provided crucial medical assistance to nearly 13,000 patients.

Inspired by the Digital Health Mission and Ayushman Bharat, this trailblazing super-speciality mobile hospital offers doorstep consultations with medical professionals, effectively bridging the gap between urban and rural healthcare services, Singh stated.

Highlighting the unique aspects of the service, Singh noted that Aarogya-Doctor on Wheels is the first healthcare facility of its kind to be delivered entirely through digital means, spearheaded by two startup groups from North and South India, operating independently of government support.

Operating on cutting-edge technology, the clinic employs an advanced methodology where patients can describe their symptoms or concerns in their native language, which the AI Doctor comprehends and responds to in the same language, Singh explained.

Patients visiting the clinic undergo comprehensive screening and investigations before consulting with super-specialist doctors from leading hospitals in metropolitan cities like Hyderabad and Bengaluru. This streamlined process, from examination to prescription, typically takes around 45 minutes, a remarkable improvement compared to traditional hospital visits that could span several days, Singh emphasized. Importantly, all services are provided free of cost, funded through voluntary contributions.

Singh highlighted the significant impact of the initiative on women, noting that a majority of beneficiaries are female. Out of over 11,000 beneficiaries in areas including Doda, Hiranagar, and Kathua-Billawar, more than 6,000 were women.

The mobile clinic, currently in its fourth phase, continues to extend its reach to remote areas such as Dudu Basantgarh in the upper reaches of Ramnagar block. Out of 1,452 beneficiaries across 56 villages and 22 Panchayats, over 800 women have availed consultations.

The Minister elaborated on the previous phases of the initiative, which covered villages in the Gandoh area of Doda district, Zero Line villages along the International Border, and the upper regions of Bilawar.

Singh underscored how the free telemedicine service addresses key healthcare challenges of accessibility, availability, and affordability, particularly in remote regions.

To further enhance patient convenience, prescribed medicines are provided free of charge, alongside distribution of medicine kits containing essential drugs to families across the constituency, Singh concluded.