Modi to launch PM Digital Health Mission on Sept 27

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will announce the nationwide rollout of Pradhan Mantri Digital Health Mission on September 27. Under this, a unique digital health ID will be provided to the people, which will store the details of a person’s medical history like the hospitals where s/he has been treated.

All information related to the person’s health will be recorded on this unique health card. This way, the patient will not have to carry the files everywhere. Seeing the unique health ID of the patient, the doctor will be able to know the health situation and continue further treatment, said an official from the Union Health Ministry here on Thursday.

“This card will also tell whether the holder receives benefits from Government schemes like Ayushman Bharat Yojana,” he said.

The person’s ID will be made using his mobile number and Aadhaar number. These two records will be used to create unique health cards. For this, the Government will create a health authority that will gather all the data of a person, he added. 

The health authority will be allowed to raise the health records of the person whose health ID is to be made. Public hospitals, community health centre, health and wellness centre or healthcare provider, which can be connected to the National Health Infrastructure registry, can make health ID.

The National Digitial Health Mission is currently in its pilot phase across the Union Territories of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.

According to the official, the mission is on track and the three basic platforms, health ID, doctor’s registry, and the health facility registry have been made operational.

The difficulty of maintaining long trails of paper-based health records, or standing in long queues at health facilities, etc. will no longer be a burden in this digitally-driven ecosystem.

“Besides, there will be continuity of treatment without any hassle as access to health records will be just a click away for doctors once given consent by the patient. To sum up, this initiative will revolutionise the delivery of high-quality services to patients by making healthcare providers more accessible and accountable,” he said.