With the opening of its flagship paramedic-assisted digital health centres, Anhad India has formally entered the state of Bihar, significantly improving the state’s rural healthcare landscape. Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Minister of Water Resources & Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Bihar, unveiled the first centre in Bajitpur village. Supported by the Swiss Re Foundation, this expansion is a critical step in resolving long-standing systemic issues in the area and ensuring that underprivileged communities have access to high-quality, reasonably priced healthcare.

Anhad India, which runs close to 60 telemedicine centres throughout 11 states and Union Territories, combines state-of-the-art technology with community-based care. For necessary services including follow-ups, tests, medications, and medical consultations, these centres offer a one-stop shop. Nearly 2 lakh people have received treatment from the organisation to date, saving communities a significant amount of money and travel time. Scaling this impact has been made possible by partners such as Innovators in Health (IIH), Ray of Hope International Foundation, Ujjivan Small Finance Bank, Hyundai Motor India Foundation, and Swiss Re Foundation. Bihar struggles with poor infrastructure even as health indices have improved.

The WHO recommends a doctor-to-population ratio of 1:1000, yet the current ratio is a pitiful 1:2148. Sadly, 44% of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Additional PHCs do not provide round-the-clock services, putting residents through lengthy commutes and hefty out-of-pocket costs, which account for 77.6% of all medical expenses. These disparities disproportionately affect rural families, particularly those with women and children, who frequently put off necessary medical care because of logistical and financial constraints. Bihar’s Comprehensive Primary Healthcare (CPHC) priorities are perfectly aligned with Anhad India’s arrival.

The Bajitpur centre provides eye treatment, preventive health programmes, telemedicine consultations for general and speciality care, and testing for non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension. By prioritising community involvement and health promotion, the programme not only cures diseases but also equips residents with the knowledge they need to avoid them. By connecting patients directly to a network of specialised physicians throughout India, telemedicine removes the need for patients to travel to cities and drastically lowers expenditures.