eSanjeevani Crosses 50 Crore Teleconsultations, Expands Specialist Healthcare Access

New Delhi, October 6: India’s national telemedicine service, eSanjeevani, has crossed the landmark of 50 crore teleconsultations, marking a major expansion in the use of digital technology for delivering healthcare across the country. The milestone reflects the growing role of remote medical services in connecting patients with healthcare professionals without requiring them to travel to hospitals or clinics.

According to the Union Health Ministry, the platform recorded 50,00,92,730 cumulative teleconsultations across all 36 States and Union Territories. The milestone was reached on September 15, with the government highlighting the platform’s contribution to improving access to medical advice, particularly for people living in rural, remote and underserved areas.

Launched as part of India’s efforts to strengthen digital healthcare delivery, eSanjeevani has developed into a large-scale public telemedicine network. The system currently includes more than 1.42 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandir spokes, 19,473 medical hubs and 901 online outpatient departments, according to the Health Ministry.

The platform has also brought a large number of healthcare professionals into its network. More than 2.41 lakh registered healthcare providers are currently associated with eSanjeevani, allowing consultations to be delivered through a combination of local health facilities and remote medical expertise.

The service is available in 15 languages, including English and 14 Indian languages. This multilingual approach is intended to make digital consultations more accessible to people who may face language barriers while seeking medical advice.

Daily usage has also increased significantly. The government said eSanjeevani currently facilitates approximately 2.5 lakh to three lakh consultations every day. Its highest single-day utilisation has crossed 6.3 lakh consultations, demonstrating the scale at which telemedicine is being used within the public healthcare system.

The pattern of usage also shows significant participation among women and older citizens. Women account for 57.14 per cent of total utilisation, while people aged 46 years and above account for 40.15 per cent of consultations. Senior citizens aged 60 years and above represent 16.25 per cent of the overall usage.

The figures suggest that telemedicine can be particularly useful for people who may find repeated visits to healthcare facilities difficult because of distance, mobility issues, time constraints or other logistical challenges.

The government’s latest update also points to a shift in the nature of services available through the platform. eSanjeevani is no longer limited to basic primary healthcare consultations. It is increasingly being used to connect patients with specialist doctors through government medical institutions.

Specialist OPD teleconsultation services have already been introduced through AIIMS Jodhpur, AIIMS Jammu and AIIMS Patna for selected specialities. The initiative is expected to expand to other premier institutions, including AIIMS centres, JIPMER and PGIMER Chandigarh.

This expansion could reduce the need for patients to travel long distances for specialist appointments. Instead of immediately travelling to a tertiary-care hospital, patients can potentially receive an initial specialist consultation remotely and be advised about further treatment or physical examination where necessary.

Technology is also becoming a more prominent part of the platform’s clinical infrastructure. The Health Ministry said eSanjeevani has integrated an AI-powered Clinical Decision Support System designed to assist healthcare professionals during consultations.

The system is intended to support clinical decision-making by providing relevant assistance to healthcare providers. The ministry said the innovation received the Gold Award under the National Awards for e-Governance 2026.

Another development has been the integration of eSanjeevani with the Emergency Response Support System-112. The linkage is aimed at strengthening coordination between emergency response services and remote medical expertise, potentially allowing digital healthcare resources to complement emergency assistance.

The growth of eSanjeevani also reflects the broader expansion of India’s digital public health infrastructure. Earlier figures released by the government showed that the platform had crossed 49 crore consultations by August 11, 2026, with more than 2.4 lakh healthcare providers registered at that stage.

The platform was developed in India by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), with C-DAC Mohali providing technological development and engineering support. The service has evolved from a hub-and-spoke telemedicine model into a national digital healthcare platform.

For patients in remote locations, the significance of the system extends beyond convenience. Access to a doctor can sometimes require considerable travel, particularly where specialist services are concentrated in cities and major hospitals. Telemedicine can help bridge part of that gap by bringing consultations closer to communities.

At the same time, digital consultations are not designed to replace every form of in-person medical care. Physical examinations, emergency procedures, diagnostic investigations and several forms of treatment still require patients to visit healthcare facilities.

The government’s expansion of specialist teleconsultations therefore represents an attempt to connect different levels of the health system rather than replace conventional medical services.

The 50-crore milestone comes as India continues to expand its use of technology in healthcare delivery. The increasing number of consultations, wider provider network, language availability, specialist links and AI-supported services indicate how telemedicine is becoming integrated into the country’s public healthcare infrastructure.

With further expansion planned, eSanjeevani is expected to remain an important component of efforts to improve access to medical expertise and reduce geographical barriers to healthcare.

The Health Ministry said the continued development of the platform is aimed at strengthening the continuum of care and supporting the broader objective of making quality healthcare more accessible across the country.