In Jukkal, a far-flung constituency in Telangana’s Kamareddy district bordering Karnataka and Maharashtra, distance has long dictated who receives timely medical care and who must endure the wait. Here, the nearest major hospital lies hours away, and a simple consultation often means spending a good part of the day on the road. But now, a first-time MLA who has spent over two decades abroad wants to bridge that distance and rewrite the healthcare map of one of Telangana’s most neglected regions.
Residents of Jukkal are poised to benefit if local legislator Thota Laxmikantha Rao’s vision to bring quality healthcare closer to home takes shape. He has reached out to healthcare professionals at the prestigious Christian Medical College (CMC) Hospital in Vellore (Tamil Nadu) to establish telemedicine kiosks across the constituency.
These kiosks will connect local patients with qualified doctors and specialists from CMC Vellore through secure tele-consultations, while also enabling basic diagnostics, chronic disease management and preventive healthcare.
Geographically isolated and chronically underserved, Jukkal remains one of the most backward regions in the State, facing severe challenges in healthcare access. Patients travel 100 km to Nizamabad, 97 km to Kamareddy, 75 km to Bidar in Karnataka or 35 km to Degloor in Maharashtra, with the distance turning even minor ailments into major burdens.
Jukkal MLA Thota Laxmikantha Rao.
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Arrangement
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Laxmikantha Rao states that the telemedicine network has been conceived to bridge this long-standing gap. “This initiative will directly improve healthcare access for rural, tribal and economically disadvantaged populations, reduce preventable health complications, and align with both State and national digital health missions,” he notes.
According to him, the idea is aimed at making healthcare both accessible and affordable for Jukkal’s marginalised communities, reduce the current dependence on distant tertiary care hospitals and offer specialist consultations in cardiology, paediatrics, gynaecology, endocrinology and other critical disciplines through CMC doctors.
It also intends to improve maternal and child health outcomes and strengthen primary health centres by integrating telemedicine into public health centres. Besides, it will support the Digital India Health Mission and leverage Ayushman Bharat for wider coverage.
A needs assessment exercise undertaken at the MLA’s initiative paints a stark picture: 95% of residents depend on agriculture and have virtually no reliable health services. Doctors are scarce and specialists almost unheard of. “High maternal mortality and child malnutrition indicators, growing burden of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease are worrying. Families spending disproportionately high amounts on travel and hospital stays in Hyderabad or Nizamabad is also painful to note,” the MLA says.
Under the proposed model, each kiosk would be set up on an area of 150-200 sq. ft. and include a consultation cabin/room, seating, privacy partitions, high-speed internet, computer/tablet and a secure telemedicine platform. It will be equipped with essential diagnostic tools such as a digital stethoscope, BP monitor, glucometer, thermometer, pulse oximeter and ECG machine. The patient data would be integrated into the National Digital Health Mission’s electronic health records system, he shares.
Each kiosk will be operated by a trained health worker or nurse from the local community, responsible for recording vitals and assisting patients through tele-consultations. Scheduled appointments with CMC Vellore doctors will handle specialist advice, while follow-ups requiring physical examination will be managed by locally trained medical professionals, the legislator explains.
The kiosks will cover primary consultations for common ailments such as fever, infections and seasonal diseases, alongside specialist services in paediatrics, cardiology, gynaecology and endocrinology. Maternal and child health monitoring, chronic disease management for diabetes, hypertension, asthma and COPD, preventive screenings for blood pressure, blood sugar and cancers, as well as emergency referral support to nearby PHCs, district hospitals or CMC Vellore, will be part of this.
For the pilot project, three kiosks will be set up at Bichkunda, a semi-urban hub, one in Jukkal and another in a tribal village. In the expansion phase, 10 more kiosks will be rolled out to cover all mandals in the constituency. Over the next two years, these facilities are expected to integrate fully with State health insurance schemes such as Aarogyasri and Ayushman Bharat.
On the financial front, Mr. Rao says each kiosk will require an investment of around ₹4 lakh for capital and operational costs, including software and AI-based triage tools. Once operational, the network is expected to provide quality consultations to 50,000-70,000 people in the constituency.
“The establishment of telemedicine kiosks in Jukkal will revolutionise access to healthcare in one of Telangana’s most backward regions. Partnering with CMC Vellore will ensure world-class medical expertise while leveraging local resources will make the model sustainable and scalable. This project aligns with Digital India, Ayushman Bharat and Telangana’s health priorities, and will serve as a replicable model for rural healthcare delivery across India,” Mr. Rao asserts.
Published – November 22, 2025 12:51 am IST
