eSanjeevani Crosses 50 Crore Teleconsultations, Expands Digital Healthcare Reach

NEW DELHI, Oct 7: India’s national telemedicine service eSanjeevani has crossed the landmark of 50 crore teleconsultations, marking a major expansion in the use of digital platforms for delivering medical care across the country.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the platform recorded 50,00,92,730 consultations cumulatively on September 15, 2026. The milestone was highlighted by the ministry on October 6 as an indication of the growing role of technology in connecting patients with healthcare professionals without requiring them to travel long distances.

The service is operational across all 36 States and Union Territories and has increasingly become part of India’s public healthcare delivery network. Its expansion is particularly significant for people living in rural, remote and underserved areas, where access to specialists and advanced medical facilities can often be limited.

eSanjeevani currently operates through more than 1.42 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandir spokes, 19,473 medical hubs and 901 online outpatient departments. The network has 2,41,923 registered healthcare providers, giving patients access to medical consultations through a large nationwide digital infrastructure.

The platform is available in 15 languages, including English and 14 Indian languages, allowing it to serve people across different linguistic regions. It facilitates around 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh consultations on a typical day, while its highest single-day utilisation has crossed six lakh consultations.

The scale of usage also highlights the importance of telemedicine in reducing some of the geographical barriers associated with conventional healthcare. Patients who may otherwise need to travel to district hospitals, urban medical centres or specialist institutions can use the service to seek medical advice remotely.

The government has described eSanjeevani as the world’s largest telemedicine implementation in primary healthcare. The service was developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), with C-DAC Mohali providing technological development and engineering support.

The platform’s development has also moved beyond basic doctor-patient consultations. It now includes an Artificial Intelligence-powered Clinical Decision Support System, designed to assist healthcare providers during consultations and support clinical decision-making.

The integration of AI-based assistance reflects the wider transformation taking place in India’s digital health infrastructure. Rather than functioning only as a communication channel between patients and doctors, eSanjeevani is being developed as part of a broader technology-supported healthcare ecosystem.

Emergency response capabilities have also been incorporated through integration with ERSS-112. The move is aimed at improving coordination between digital healthcare services and emergency support mechanisms.

Another important development has been the expansion of specialist consultations. Premier government institutions, including AIIMS facilities, have begun providing specialist outpatient consultations through the platform. This can help extend the expertise available at major medical institutions to patients who may not be able to visit those centres directly.

The demographic profile of users also provides an indication of how the service is being utilised. Women account for 57.14 per cent of total consultations, while 40.15 per cent of consultations are availed by people aged 46 years and above. Senior citizens aged 60 years and above account for 16.25 per cent of consultations.

The relatively high participation of older people is significant because regular travel to healthcare facilities can become difficult for those requiring repeated medical consultations. Digital access can potentially make follow-up care more convenient, particularly when a physical examination is not required for every consultation.

For women, telemedicine can provide an additional avenue to seek medical advice while reducing travel and time related barriers. The high share of female users suggests that digital healthcare is becoming increasingly relevant to sections of the population that may face practical difficulties in accessing conventional services.

The milestone also comes as India continues to build a wider digital health ecosystem. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission has been creating digital infrastructure intended to connect patients, healthcare providers and health records through interoperable systems.

Within this broader framework, telemedicine can complement physical healthcare infrastructure rather than replace it. Patients requiring laboratory tests, imaging, surgery, emergency intervention or other forms of in-person treatment still need to be referred to appropriate facilities.

The government’s emphasis has therefore been on using technology to strengthen the existing healthcare system and bring medical advice closer to communities. The expanding network of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs provides an important physical connection point for this model, while online consultations can link patients with doctors and specialists located elsewhere.

The growth of eSanjeevani also demonstrates how digital public infrastructure can be scaled to a population of India’s size. Reaching 50 crore consultations requires not only software but also healthcare workers, internet connectivity, medical hubs, local health facilities and systems capable of managing large volumes of consultations.

The challenge ahead will be to ensure that increased digital access translates into effective healthcare outcomes. Reliable connectivity, trained personnel, patient privacy, appropriate clinical protocols and timely referrals remain important for ensuring that telemedicine is used safely and effectively.

The government has said the continued expansion of eSanjeevani is aligned with the objective of making healthcare more accessible and equitable. With specialist services, artificial intelligence support and emergency response integration being added to the platform, its role is gradually expanding from a basic teleconsultation service to a larger component of India’s digital health infrastructure.

The crossing of the 50-crore mark therefore represents not only a numerical milestone but also the growing acceptance of remote healthcare as part of routine medical service delivery. As the platform continues to expand across states and healthcare institutions, it is expected to remain an important tool for reducing distance related barriers and improving access to medical expertise.