Bhubaneswar: Union Petroleum and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to implement the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) and Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to improve the lives of the people in the state.
In a letter to Patnaik, the Union minister who hails from Odisha said NDHM, which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi August 15 will leverage the power of technology to ensure the well-being of all citizens including poor migrants of the state.
Describing NDHM as a holistic and voluntary healthcare programme, Pradhan said it will involve all relevant stakeholders for the transformation of digital health infrastructure in India.
NDHM leverages the transformative power of e-governance by introducing the concept of Unique Healthcare ID (UHID) for every citizen. The UHID will be a repository of all health-related information of a person, such as medical tests, previous prescriptions, diagnosis, treatments all .. health records, he said in the letter dated September 11.
The portable, nation-wide UHID will liberate citizens from the challenges of finding doctors in different locations, seeking appointment with them, payment of consultation fee, making visits for prescription sheets and will empower them to take informed decisions for availing the best possible healthcare services, Pradhan said.
The NDHM will bring about a revolution in the country’s healthcare sector where technology will play a leading role in minimising the challenges citizens face while seeking healthcare, he said in the letter.
A copy of the letter was released to the media. Pradhan said NDHM will not only improve the efficiency, effectiveness and transparency of health service delivery in the country but will also be a major stride towards achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.8 of universal health coverage, including financial risk protection.
As the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has shown us, among the most vulnerable sections of our society are migrant workers who suffer due to the geographic redundancy of social welfare schemes. The nation-wide portability of UHID will greatly benefit migrant workers who will be able to digitally access all their health records anywhere in the country while seeking medical treatment, the union minister said.
UHID will also be a boon for people living in remote rural areas of the country who are not able to access healthcare facilities frequently. By using telemedicine services and ensuring continuity of their medical history and treatments, they can save on their out-of-pocket expenses for medical diagnostics, Pradhan said.
NDHM will be developed and implemented by National Health Authority (NHA), the attached office of the ministry of health and family welfare and the apex central government agency responsible for the implementation of AB-PMJAY.
Pradhan said NDHM will be able to offer maximum benefit to states when integrated with the ABPMJAY, be a game changer and give an opportunity to serve the poor.