Karnataka has recorded more than 3.09 crore teleconsultations through eSanjeevani, emerging as one of the country’s major users of the national telemedicine platform.
According to data furnished by the Union Health Ministry in the Lok Sabha, as of July 30, 2026, Karnataka had recorded 3,09,28,829 teleconsultations through eSanjeevani.
Of these, 2,55,16,332 consultations were provided through eSanjeevani Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs), while another 54,12,497 consultations were conducted through the eSanjeevani OPD platform.
The scale of usage comes as Karnataka continues to rely on digital healthcare services to connect patients, particularly those in rural and underserved areas, with doctors and specialists.
The state currently has 2,087 operational eSanjeevani hubs and 6,409 operational spokes, which include healthcare facilities such as primary health centres, community health centres, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, sub-district hospitals and district hospitals.
The figures were provided in response to a Lok Sabha question by Bengaluru Rural MP Dr CN Manjunath, who sought details on the utilisation and effectiveness of telemedicine for managing non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
At the national level, eSanjeevani had facilitated more than 48.95 crore teleconsultations by July 30, 2026, through 19,257 operational hubs and 1,41,341 spokes across States and Union Territories.
Karnataka’s numbers place it among the larger contributors to the national telemedicine network. Tamil Nadu recorded 7.41 crore consultations, while West Bengal reported 8.64 crore, Andhra Pradesh 8.59 crore and Uttar Pradesh 7.10 crore. Telangana recorded 3.37 crore, while Bihar reported 3.28 crore consultations.
Healthcare experts pointed out that post pandemic people opt for teleconsultation as the first point of contact. Dr Haleema Yezdani, teleconsultation expert, said, “I started doing teleconsultation almost around 10 years ago, at that time the entire concept was very new. Though people used telemedicine, it was not considered even as a valid mode of consultation. Now, especially post pandemic, the entire outlook has changed. People opt for teleconsultation as a first point of contact for medical care (unless of course there is any medical emergency).”
Speaking of how telemedicine can benefit rural Karnataka, Dr Yezdani said, “Telemedicine can significantly improve healthcare access in rural Karnataka by overcoming distance, specialist shortages, travel costs and lost working hours. Primary Health Centres (PHCs) can serve as the first point of contact, with local healthcare workers connecting patients virtually to specialists in Bengaluru or district hospitals. This hub-and-spoke model can strengthen PHCs rather than replace them, particularly for diabetes, hypertension, cardiology, paediatrics and mental health. Combined with remote monitoring, digital records and clear referral pathways, telemedicine can enable early triage and continuity of care. The focus should shift from isolated teleconsultations to a telehealth-enabled continuum of care.”Where telemedicine falls short
According to experts, telemedicine falls short when diagnosis depends on physical examination, such as palpating a lump or abdomen, listening to the heart or lungs, conducting a neurological or specialised eye examination.
“Patients with chest pain, severe breathlessness, altered consciousness, new neurological deficits, severe abdominal pain, major trauma, significant bleeding or suspected sepsis should be assessed in person without delay. Teleconsultation may help with initial triage, but should never delay necessary physical care,” added Dr Yezdani.
