New Delhi : In an exclusive conversation, Dr. Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, spoke to Prathiba Raju, Senior Assistant Editor, ETHealthworld and shared how digital infrastructure—powered by 4G, 5G, BharatNet, and the upcoming 6G vision—is shaping India’s healthcare future.
A healthcare professional himself, Dr. Pemmasani outlines why “connectivity, standardization, and inclusion are the pillars of a Health-First India.”
Q. Dr. Pemmasani, as both a healthcare professional and policy leader, how do you see telecom serving as a true catalyst for building a Health-First India through uninterrupted digital connectivity?
Telecom is fundamentally about connectivity, and connectivity is the foundation of modern healthcare. Healthcare is becoming increasingly digital—from physicians accessing real-time clinical data and patient histories to improving coordination, reducing duplication, and minimizing errors. All of this depends on robust, uninterrupted digital infrastructure.
Inclusivity is equally important. For rural or remote patients, even basic access to care can be a challenge. Whether it’s teleconsultations or even remote surgeries, high-quality connections—via 5G or fibre optics—are essential. With 65–70% of our population still in rural areas, bridging the digital divide is not optional—it’s critical.
Q. The government has made significant progress through initiatives like BharatNet, 4G and 5G rollout. How do you see these efforts translating into equitable healthcare access in rural and remote areas, and what are the next priorities for truly bridging this urban-rural digital health divide?
Today, over 95 per cent of India has 4G coverage, and we’re actively working to upgrade the remaining villages. Over 25 crore Indians now have 5G-ready devices. Through BharatNet, we’ve already connected over 2.15 lakh gram panchayats with optical fibre, and another 40,000 are underway.
To ensure long-term reliability, we’ve introduced 10-year maintenance contracts and shifted from linear to ring-based network structures—so if one path is disrupted, another route ensures continuity. These measures will drastically reduce service disruptions and increase trust in the system, especially for healthcare delivery.
Q. How will Bharat 6G help revolutionise healthcare as India transforms from a technology adopter to a global standard-setter? Additionally, how is Bharat’s 6G Vision attracting global partnerships and driving breakthroughs in terahertz communication and AI-native networks?
6G will deliver speeds 10–15 times faster than today, with near-zero latency, approaching optical fibre-level reliability. That opens immense possibilities—from real-time diagnostics to robotic surgeries and seamless remote care.
Importantly, unlike with 4G and 5G, where we were adopters, India is now shaping global 6G standards. The government has funded over 100 R&D projects—many in partnership with IITs—to develop intellectual property and play a leading role in global tech development.
Q. Platforms like eSanjeevani, ABDM, and Tele-MANAS are transforming public health delivery. How is telecom infrastructure being aligned to support these initiatives at scale—ensuring seamless, interoperable healthcare for every citizen?
Reliable connectivity ensures that people can access care from their homes—follow-up visits, nursing support, mental health services, and more—without long wait times at hospitals. It builds trust. Once citizens trust the system, they’re more likely to use it.
We’re aligning our telecom expansion to support platforms like eSanjeevani and ABDM, so that healthcare is not just digitally available but also consistent and user-friendly across all levels—from rural health centres to AIIMS.
Q. Given that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is not currently undertaking consultations with civil society, experts, or researchers on framing rules for internet suspension under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, how will the Ministry ensure that internet shutdowns do not hinder access to essential healthcare services, particularly in underserved areas?
Internet shutdowns are extremely rare and treated as exceptions. They’re only imposed when the government believes the risk to public order outweighs the benefit. Such decisions undergo strict review processes every 24 hours and cannot exceed 15 days under any circumstance.
Importantly, any shutdown requires authorisation from both state and central secretaries, ensuring that no unilateral action disrupts essential services like healthcare.
Q. With the convergence of 5G, AI, IoT, and cloud, what opportunities do you see for technology to address India’s healthcare challenges—particularly in diagnostics, treatment, mental health, and workforce shortages?
Integration is the key. We need a system where electronic health records, insurance, pharmacies, and preventive care are all connected. This will allow us to make data-driven decisions, ensure pricing transparency, avoid drug errors, and forecast disease burdens more accurately.
Emerging tech—especially AI and cloud computing—can fill critical gaps in mental health access, diagnostics, and workforce shortages by enabling remote triage, virtual counselling, and decision support tools for clinicians.
Q. What is your vision for a digitally empowered healthcare system where every doctor—whether in an AIIMS, a private clinic, or a rural PHC—can deliver world-class care? And how can industry, the medical community, and citizens contribute to this journey?
It all starts with standardisation and capacity building. We must ensure that doctors, nurses, and paramedics meet well-defined competencies before entering the healthcare system. We need to raise the bar for medical education and test whether these professionals are truly prepared.
At the infrastructure level, every hospital—public or private—must follow accreditation norms. The private sector, tech industry, and citizens can contribute by investing in healthtech, promoting responsible data use, and adopting digital tools that improve care outcomes.
Ultimately, connectivity, standardization, and inclusion will drive us toward a truly Health-First India.
Watch the conversation here:
