Social Endeavor for Health and Telemedicine
{{Short description|Indian telemedicine health initiative}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2019}}
Social Endeavor for Health and Telemedicine (SEHAT) is a telemedicine health initiative in India launched on 25 August 2015 by Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Communications and Information Technology and Minister of Law and Justice, Govt. of India in the collaboration with Apollo Hospitals.{{cite news|title=Govt launches Sehat telemedicine initiative|url=http://www.livemint.com/Politics/df1ef1TTLuegLCj7g9qWRK/Govt-launches-Sehat-telemedicine-initiative.html|accessdate=28 August 2015|agency=Live Mint}}{{cite news|title=Ravi Shankar Prasad launches govt's SEHAT initiative|url=http://www.indiablooms.com/ibns_new/health-details/H/1100/ravi-shankar-prasad-launches-govt-s-sehat-initiative.html|accessdate=28 August 2015|agency=India Blooms}} In India the first telemedicine center was launched in the year 2000 and was inaugurated by the President of the United States, Bill Clinton.{{cite journal|title=Telemedicine in Primary Health Care: The Road Ahead| pmc=3634179 | pmid=23626897 | volume=4| journal=Int J Prev Med| pages=377–8 | last1 = Praveen | first1 = KB | last2 = Ali | first2 = SS| year=2013 | issue=3 }}
Overview
SEHAT initiative was launched with the motive to offer telemedicine center in rural areas of India where the people in rural areas can consult doctors online and also order generic drugs.{{cite news|title=Government launches telemedicine initiative 'Sehat'|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/healthcare/biotech/healthcare/government-launches-telemedicine-initiative-sehat/articleshow/48670278.cms|accessdate=28 August 2015|agency=The Economic Times|work=The Times of India}} Under the scheme Common Service Centers (CSC) with the support of Apollo and Medanta Hospital telemedicine services was already being offered in many areas. Now with the launch of SEHAT health initiative Common Service Centers (CSC) will be extended to 60,000 centers in different cities of India.{{cite news|title=Ravi Shankar Prasad launches government's new health initiative 'SEHAT'|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/article/healthcare/happening-now/ravi-shankar-prasad-launches-governments-new-health-initiative-sehat/125465/|accessdate=28 August 2015|agency=The Indian Express|publisher=Financial Express}}