Andhra Pradesh launches second Electronic Urban Public Health Centre

• In a first of its kind initiative in the country, to leverage the benefits of digitalization of healthcare, the government of Andhra Pradesh undertook an initiative to upgrade the Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHC) into eUPHCs through a well-thought out PPP model enabling access to specialist doctors through telemedicine and diagnostics in the local neighbourhoods itself. 
• Further on, Apollo Hospitals, one of Asia’s most trusted integrated healthcare providers, extended its commitment to rural and remote healthcare by providing services at 164 such eUPHCs across 9 districts in Andhra Pradesh to manage and operate for a period of three years along with the government of Andhra Pradesh through a well drawn tender. 
• “As per the directives in National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) it is imperative to meet healthcare needs of the urban population with the focus on urban poor, by making available to them essential primary healthcare services and reducing their out of pocket expenses for treatment. With the launch of e-UPHCs, we would be able to serve families which are below and close to the poverty line thereby catering to basic and advanced healthcare needs of close to 50% of the urban/semi urban population of the state of Andhra Pradesh”, said Kamineni Srinavas.
• Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) established by the government serve as the first point of intervention for patients who typically can be treated at the primary level for their basic healthcare needs. “The chief minister of Andhra Pradesh N. Chandrababu Naidu had the noble vision to provide prompt integrated quality primary healthcare for the urban poor population of Andhra Pradesh at their doorsteps. Our eUPHCs are enabled with technology to provide speciality consultations through Telemedicine for select specialities, and will provide laboratory investigations, primary healthcare services through general practitioners and nurses”, added K. Srinivas.
• Speaking on the occasion, Vikram Thaploo, CEO- Apollo Hospitals said, “This initiative is a novel way to cater to the ever increasing healthcare needs of our population. These eUPHCs will serve families which are below and near the poverty line, thereby catering to the healthcare needs of the urban/semi urban population of the state of Andhra Pradesh. Through this initiative the government aims to serve 13.2 million people of Andhra Pradesh in three years, which is approximately 20% of the total population of Andhra Pradesh We are delighted that Apollo Consortium won the tender and Government chose Apollo Hospitals as the service provider for this endeavour and are confident of leveraging the best technological innovations to enhance access to quality healthcare for everyone. This project is part of Apollo’s Rural Connect initiative.” 
• The National Urban Health Mission aims to take this initiative across more states of the country and provide primary healthcare to the underserved population.

Andhra pradesh, launches, second electronic, urban public health centre