a unit of Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana. The RAHAT Study is a five-year, multi-site initiative supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and implemented by the Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC) in collaboration with Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana. Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, is one of the six selected institutions in India for the RAHAT Study and the only participating centre from North India.
The telemedicine facility was inaugurated by Dr. William Bhatti, Director, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, along with Dr. Dorairaj Prabhakaran, Executive Director, CCDC, and community leaders. The initiative aims to strengthen primary healthcare delivery in rural areas through institutional strengthening, digitally enabled healthcare services and community-based interventions. The telemedicine services will provide free specialist consultations to rural populations, reducing travel burden and improving access to timely medical care, thereby ensuring comprehensive healthcare support for rural communities.
Dr. Deepshikha Kamra, Professor and Head, Department of Community Medicine and Principal Investigator (PI) of the study, facilitated the programme and emphasized the importance of integrating digital health solutions with community outreach. The event was also attended by faculty members Dr. Gurshan Singh, Dr. Merina C. Janet, Dr. Vivek Shaw, and Dr. Rodel Robert Gill. Community representatives, including Mr. Mandeep Singh, Sarpanch of Village Shehzad, and Mr. Rana Singh Grewal, Sarpanch of Village Daad, also attended the event and expressed their support for the initiative
