Author: Dr. Kiran Shahi, Telehealth Medical Officer at Smart Health Global
“Digital health may seem like a luxury – but in rural Nepal, Telehealth is a low-cost, sustainable, and deeply personal revolution.” by Dr. Kiran Shahi
When I joined Smart Health Global, I didn’t realize how much importance a mobile phone’s screen could hold. I didn’t expect it to become a lifeline, a clinic, and at times, a comfort to someone far beyond my reach. But that’s exactly what telemedicine has become for so many living in Nepal’s most under-served corners.
I still remember a man in his 60’s, he walked two hours to his local health post with a pounding headache and dizziness. His blood pressure was 180/100 mmHg, dangerously high. There was no doctor, no emergency room, just a health assistant with a phone, and me, on the other end. We ruled out red flags and began treatment with what little was available: a few oral medications, monitoring and a lot of reassurance. His pressure slowly came down, but what I remember most was what he said before hanging up “I thought no one would be able to help me here. But you came.”
This is the heartbeat of what we do.
Every day, we connect with patients miles away, pregnant women needing prenatal care, children with fevers and rashes, elderly patients battling COPD, asthma, or uncontrolled hypertension. These are people who, without this service, might go weeks or months without seeing a trained doctor.
But with one click, we arrive. Through our telemedicine program, we’ve helped stabilize patients, prevent unnecessary hospital visits, reduce complications, and most importantly, restore trust in healthcare. In communities where even basic transportation can be a barrier, we’re proving that care can still come to you even if it’s through a screen.
What makes this work special is not just the technology, it’s the humanity. The gentle explanations we give to worried mothers. The step-by-step support we offer to community health workers. The ongoing care plans we build for patients who, for the first time, feel seen and heard.
It’s easy to think of digital health as a modern luxury. But in the hills and plains of rural Nepal, it’s a revolution. It’s low-cost, sustainable, and deeply personal.
