Apollo TeleHealth crosses one million teleconsultations, transforming healthcare access in Odisha’s tribal heartland
Apollo TeleHealth's Digital Dispensary Initiative in Odisha's Keonjhar district has crossed one million teleconsultations, showcasing how technology-enabled public healthcare can bridge the rural healthcare divide.
Commenting on the milestone, Dr Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Group, said the achievement demonstrates that technology-enabled healthcare can be successfully integrated into the public health system at scale.
KEONJHAR (Odisha): Apollo TeleHealth has achieved a significant milestone in India’s digital healthcare journey by crossing one million teleconsultations through its Digital Dispensary Initiative in Odisha’s Keonjhar district. The achievement demonstrates how technology-enabled healthcare delivery can improve access to quality primary healthcare for remote tribal, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) and mining communities that have traditionally faced severe shortages of medical infrastructure, according to a press release issued on Monday.
Implemented in partnership with the Chief District Medical & Public Health Officer (CDM&PHO), Keonjhar, and supported by the District Mineral Foundation (DMF), the initiative has evolved into one of Odisha’s first integrated Digital Dispensary models. It combines virtual doctor consultations, diagnostic services, pharmacy support and referral care into a single technology-enabled healthcare ecosystem embedded within the public health system.
Launched in September 2023, the programme has expanded rapidly over the past three years. Today, it operates through 66 Digital Dispensaries across Keonjhar district, serving more than 30,000 patients every month. Alongside one million teleconsultations, the initiative has facilitated over one million digital prescriptions, conducted more than 200,000 diagnostic tests and enabled over 20,000 referrals for specialised medical care. More than 90 per cent of patients now receive treatment at the point of care, reducing waiting times to just five to eight minutes while significantly cutting travel time and out-of-pocket expenses.
The initiative addresses one of India’s most persistent healthcare challenges—providing timely access to doctors and essential health services in geographically isolated regions. By integrating telemedicine with diagnostics, medicine distribution and referral services, the model enables early diagnosis, continuity of care and faster treatment for patients who would otherwise need to travel long distances to district hospitals or urban healthcare centres.
Commenting on the milestone, Dr Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Group, said the achievement demonstrates that technology-enabled healthcare can be successfully integrated into the public health system at scale. She noted that the programme goes beyond virtual consultations by combining diagnostics, medicines and specialist referrals into a seamless primary healthcare ecosystem, making quality healthcare accessible to underserved populations.
Dr Rina Pradhan, Chief Executive Officer of the District Mineral Foundation, Keonjhar, said the initiative illustrates how District Mineral Foundation resources can be strategically deployed to build long-term public health infrastructure. According to her, integrating technology into government healthcare systems has significantly improved healthcare access, enabled early disease detection and reduced treatment delays in remote communities.
Beyond improving healthcare access, the programme has strengthened early detection and management of diseases such as malaria, dengue, malnutrition and chronic illnesses, while also improving antenatal care services and ensuring timely referrals for advanced treatment. These interventions have contributed to stronger primary healthcare outcomes across the district.
The initiative has already received national recognition, winning the ASSOCHAM Health Meet & Excellence Awards 2026 in the “Excellence in Rural Health Initiative” category. Building on this success, Apollo TeleHealth plans to expand specialist consultations, point-of-care diagnostics, preventive health screening and digital disease management services across its existing centres, while exploring the replication of the Digital Dispensary model in other tribal and underserved regions across India.
The achievement comes as India accelerates the digital transformation of its healthcare ecosystem under initiatives such as the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), which aims to create an interoperable digital health infrastructure connecting patients, healthcare providers and health records nationwide. Telemedicine platforms have emerged as a critical pillar of this transformation, particularly in bridging the urban-rural healthcare divide. Apollo TeleHealth’s experience in Keonjhar offers a practical example of how digital technologies, public-private partnerships and government support can work together to strengthen primary healthcare delivery in some of the country’s most underserved regions.
