ATC CSR Foundation India and Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation launch five digital dispensaries in Madhya Pradesh to bring healthcare via telemedicine to 2.5 lakh+ people

An Initiative under ATC’s Digital Communities program to extend e-health services for rural and underprivileged communities managed by Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation 

Mumbai, March 29, 2022:  ATC CSR Foundation India (ATC CSRFI), the CSR arm of American Tower Corporation (ATC) India, as a part of its Digital Communities program, together with the Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation (ATNF) has launched five digital dispensaries in rural Madhya Pradesh. The digital dispensaries will be operational at Indorama, Depalpur, Barwaha, Icchawar and Rehti and will be accessible to around 200 villages across 4 districts and will offer healthcare service availability to nearly 2.5 lakh people. The digital dispensaries will conduct free screening camps periodically and virtual doctor consults daily. These centres will use hybrid internet connectivity to deliver high-quality healthcare via telemedicine. They will also stock and dispense 60+ essential drugs to patients. All five digital dispensaries have easy accessibility to people.

This initiative is funded by ATC CSR Foundation India and will be operated by Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation, a not-for-profit subsidiary of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd, a large and reputed private healthcare provider in India. The long-term objective is to bring in world-class quality healthcare services almost at the doorstep of rural communities and empower them with primary, preventive, and specialty teleconsultation services as a solution. In addition, this initiative will help reduce out-of-pocket expenditures among lower-income groups, improve wellness by controlling non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and educate people on both NCDS and Communicable Diseases (CDs) to improve the health indicators in the region. This will also be instrumental in controlling the rise in chronic health conditions.

Sanjay Goel, EVP and President, Asia Pacific, American Tower Corporation (ATC) said, “We are proud to be working with Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation to expand access to basic healthcare and medicine to rural populations. Our Digital Communities leverage the uninterrupted power supply and connectivity of our tower sites to provide essential services, like education, to the people in the surrounding communities. While advances in telemedicine is helping many, we see gaps in health care services for those who lack digital connectivity. Bringing the expertise of two industries together is a perfect example of how cross-industry collaboration can have a direct impact on lives. Together we will expand access to health care through digital connectivity which will lead to a healthier way of living for many.”

Vikram Thaploo, CEO, Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation and Apollo TeleHealth, said, “In a country like India, where the doctor-patient ratio is well below the recommended level, hospitals are overloaded in urban areas, and healthcare service providers remain sparse in rural areas, telemedicine has the potential to act as a major leveller. ATNF has made major contributions to the country's primary healthcare through Public-Private Partnerships and has touched more than 13 million lives with over 16.5 million teleconsultations delivered, 20,000 clinical transactions on a daily basis and beyond 1.5 million NCD screenings. As the sector grows, we are actively partnering with governments, corporate and other healthcare providers to expand the reach of telehealth services further. We are proud to partner with ATC CSR Foundation India for this program to provide general and specialist consultations, lab investigations and medicines to patients across the rural areas of Madhya Pradesh who are unable to visit specialists of premier medical institutions due to different constraints like lack of resources, time and money.”

About American Tower Corporation (ATC):

American Tower, one of the largest global REITs, is a leading independent owner, operator and developer of multitenant communications real estate with a portfolio of approximately 220,000 communications sites and a highly interconnected footprint of U.S. data center facilities. For more information about American Tower, please visit the “Earnings Materials” and “Investor Presentations” sections of our investor relations website at www.americantower.com.

About ATC CSR Foundation India:

ATC CSR Foundation India is the CSR arm of ATC India (one of the leading independent Passive Telecom Infrastructure Providers in India and an indirectly held subsidiary of ATC) and is focused to contribute to the implementation of the “Digital India” mission of the Government of India by way of its “Digital Communities” Program. Through the Digital Communities program, ATC is committed to improving quality of life for communities that are economically disadvantaged by supporting connectivity worldwide. Based on local needs, Digital Communities provide educational, healthcare, financial and career development services with an aim to improve quality of life through connectivity.

About Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation:

Established in 1999, Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation (ATNF) is a not-for-profit division of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited, working with governments, corporate entities and individuals to strengthen public health systems using the power of telemedicine. ATNF aims to create cost-effective solutions to the world’s most pressing healthcare concerns with the highest levels of accountability. ATNF works across several Indian states and overseas and runs impactful programs in PPP and CSR modes.