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Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)
NHA eyes 2,000 cr to scale digital healthcare ecosystem
Context: The government is preparing a proposal for ABDM 2.0, seeking ₹2,000 crore till 2030, to expand adoption, build capacity, and complete India’s digital health backbone. This extension is crucial for strengthening efficiency, transparency, and inclusivity in healthcare delivery.
What is the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission?
The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), launched on 27th September 2021 under the National Health Authority (NHA), is India’s flagship initiative to create a unified digital health infrastructure. Its foundational five-year phase (2021–2026), supported with ₹1,600 crore, is nearing completion, but only one-third of the funds have been utilised. Key components include:
- ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account): A unique 14-digit ID that allows individuals to link, access, and share their health records digitally.
- Health Facility Registry (HFR): A national database of hospitals, clinics, labs, and pharmacies.
- Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR): Verified list of medical professionals across systems.
- Unified Health Interface (UHI): A digital gateway to discover and access health services.
- Health Information Exchange & Consent Manager (HIE-CM): Enables secure sharing of health data with patient consent.
How does it bolster India’s healthcare ecosystem?
- Improved Accessibility & Efficiency: Citizens can store, access, and share their medical records digitally, enabling continuity of care and reduced diagnostic duplication.
- AI and Data-Driven Healthcare: Digital records and structured data allow for AI integration in diagnostics, early disease detection, and personalised treatment plans.
- Patient-Centric Consent System: Promotes privacy and control, as data sharing is only permitted with explicit consent of the individual.
- Strengthening Urban-Rural Connectivity: Reduces healthcare gaps by integrating remote and rural health services into a national digital backbone.
- Administrative Streamlining: Minimises paperwork, reduces fraud and duplication, and enables better targeting of public health schemes.
- Supports Universal Health Coverage (UHC): Aligns with the broader vision of Ayushman Bharat by expanding not just financial protection (through PM-JAY), but also information access and service efficiency.
What are the major concerns associated with it?
- Digital Divide: Limited internet access and digital literacy in rural and remote regions hinders equitable adoption.
- Data Privacy and Security Risks: The absence of a robust data protection law raises concerns over data misuse, breaches, and surveillance.
- Low Onboarding of Private Sector: Private healthcare providers, especially small clinics, have shown hesitance in onboarding due to technological and compliance hurdles.
- Underutilisation of Funds: Delay in state-level implementation, limited trained workforce, and lack of awareness campaigns have led to slow fund absorption.
- Consent and Legal Framework: While patient consent is a feature, clear regulatory frameworks for data exchange, redressal, and interoperability are still evolving.
- Ethical and Operational Concerns with AI: As AI tools are integrated, concerns over bias, accountability, and decision transparency arise.
