23-Oct-2022: 7th Ayurveda Day celebrated on a grand scale across the country
The 7th Ayurveda Day was celebrated today on a magnificent scale in India and at international level. This year’s 7th Ayurveda Day was celebrated with the theme “Har Din Har Ghar Ayurveda” so as to propagate benefits of Ayurveda to larger and grass root community. The six-week long celebration saw huge participation from across the country, more than 5000 events were organized by Ministry of Ayush institutes/councils with support of more than 26 ministries of Government of India and Ministry of External Affairs India missions and embassies.
The dignitaries present at the event included Shri Arjun Munda, Minister of Tribal Affairs; Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ayush; Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State of External Affairs & Culture; Shri Dr. Munjapara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai, MoS Ayush; Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary MoA; Shri Anil Kumar Jha, Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Shri Pramod Kumar Pathak, Special Secretary, MoA and Prof. Tanuja Manoj Nesari, Director, AIIA along with representative of foreign embassies and WHO-SEARO.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, said, that Ayurveda is a science of prevention of disease. It’s an ancient knowledge and our research councils are doing some impressive research work in Ayush sector. The further said that the objective of har din har Ghar ayurvedic camping is to take Ayurveda and its potential to the masses. Ayurveda is now known globally and this is because of the continuous and untiring efforts of prime minister Shri Narendra Modi.
On this occasion, Shri Arjun Munda said, “Ayurveda is India's ancient tradition and wealth. Ayurveda can be nurtured in association with the people living in the forests. Ayurveda is the only medical science that talks about prevention of disease, not treatment after getting sick.”
Dr. Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai said that the Ministry of Ayush has accelerated the Ayush system of health in the country and Ayurveda is now recognized in 30 countries. He further informed that the current turnover of Ayush is $18.1 billion.
Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi said, “It’s time to appreciate the science of our ancestors. A science which is more than 5000 yrs old is celebrated on the occasion of Ayurveda day in the supervision of our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He always promoted the science of Ayurveda and in last few years it has reached to its peak.”
Prof. Tanuja Nesari, informed that ‘I support Ayurveda’ campaign got enormous support from all, as more than 1.7 Crore people participated and more than 56 Lakh people contributed in various activities organized by different institutions based on Ayurveda Day in last 6 week long program.
A Memorandum of understanding was signed between Ministry of Ayush and Ministry of Tribal Affairs to explore the areas of collaboration, convergence and synergy between both the ministries for Tribal development while preserving the tribal culture heritage through evidence-based planning and capacity building.
On this occasion a book on ‘The Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India’, ‘The Ayurvedic formulary of India’ was released. To create awareness about the health benefits of medicinal plants, a species-specific national campaign on Ashwagandha - A health promoter was launched by the Ministry of Ayush. The first prize winners of five short video competitions were felicitated by the Union minister of Ayush and other dignitaries.
13-Nov-2020: PM dedicates two future-ready Ayurveda institutions to the nation on Ayurveda Day
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi dedicated two future-ready Ayurveda institutions to the nation on the 5th Ayurveda Day today via video conferencing. These are the Institute of Teaching & Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), Jamnagar and the National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur. Both the Institutes are premier institutions of Ayurveda in the country. The former has been conferred the status of an Institution of National Importance (INI) by an Act of the Parliament, and the latter is an Institution Deemed to be University by the University Grants Commission. The Ministry of AYUSH, since 2016, has been observing ‘Ayurveda Day’ every year on the occasion of Dhanvantri Jayanti (Dhanteras).
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Shri Shripad Naik, Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Vijay Rupani, Chief Minister of Rajasthan Shri Ashok Gehlot, Governor of Rajasthan Shri Kalraj Mishra, Governor of Gujarat Acharya Devvrat, were present on the occasion.
Director General of World Health Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus gave a video message on the occasion and praised the Prime Minister’s commitment to the universal coverage under Ayushman Bharat and evidence-based promotion of traditional medicines to achieve health related objectives. The Prime Minister thanked WHO and the DG for choosing India for the Global Centre of Traditional medicine. He said that Ayurveda is an Indian heritage and it is a matter of happiness that India’s traditional knowledge is enriching other countries also.
Shri Modi stressed the need to bring the Ayurveda knowledge out of books, scriptures and home remedies and develop this ancient knowledge as per modern needs. he remarked that new research is being done in the country by combining the information received from the modern science of the 21st century with our ancient medical knowledge. Three years ago, the All India Ayurvedic Institute was established here. Ayurveda is not just an alternative today but is one of the key basis of the country’s health policy, The Prime Minister said.
Shri Modi informed that work is on to develop the National Sowa-Rigpa Institute for research and other studies related to Sowa-Rigpa in Leh. Today, the two institutions in Gujarat and Rajasthan which have been upgraded are also an extension of this development.
Congratulating the two institutes for their upgradation, the Prime Minister pointed out that they have more responsibility now and hoped that they will prepare Ayurveda syllabus which meets the international standard. He also called upon the Education Ministry and UGC to find new avenues in disciplines like Ayurveda Physics and Ayurveda Chemistry. He also called upon the startups and private sector to study the global trends and demands and ensure their participation in the sector. The National Commission of Indian System of Medicines and The National Commission of Homeopathy were established by the Parliament this session and National Education Policy also promotes an integrated approach. The basic notion of this policy is that the knowledge of allopathic practices should be compulsory in the ayurvedic education.
The Prime Minister pointed out that during the Corona period the demand for Ayurvedic products has increased rapidly all over the world. He said Exports of Ayurvedic products increased by about 45 percent in September this year compared to the previous year. He added the significant increase in export of spices like turmeric, ginger, considered as immunity boosters, shows the sudden boost in confidence in Ayurvedic solutions and Indian spices in the world. He said now, in many countries, specialty drinks related to turmeric are also increasing and the world’s prestigious medical journals are also seeing new hope in Ayurveda. He said during this Corona period, the focus was not only limited to the use of Ayurveda alone but used to advance research related to AYUSH in the country and the world.
The Prime Minister said today, on one hand, India is testing vaccines, on the other, it is also increasing international cooperation on Ayurvedic research to fight COVID. He pointed out that research is going on in more than a hundred places at this time including the All India Institute of Ayurveda in Delhi which has conducted research related to immunity on 80 thousand Delhi Police personnel. It may be the world’s largest group study and there are encouraging results. A few more international trials are to be started in the coming days, he added.
The Prime Minister said today special emphasis is given on Ayurvedic medicines, herbs as well as nutritious foods that enhance immunity. He said today, farmers are being encouraged to increase production of coarse grains as well as organic products on the banks of Ganges and in the Himalayan regions. He added the Ministry of AYUSH is working on a comprehensive plan for India to contribute more and more in the wellness of the world, our exports should also increase and the income of our farmers should also increase. He pointed out that after the start of the COVID pandemic, the prices of Ayurvedic herbs like Ashwagandha, Giloy, Tulsi etc. have increased a lot. The price of Ashwagandha has more than doubled compared to last year and its direct benefit is reaching our farmers cultivating these herbs.
The Prime Minister urged the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of AYUSH or other departments, to work together to increase awareness of the usefulness of many herbs available in India. He stressed that the development of the entire ecosystem related to Ayurveda will also promote tourism related to health and wellness in the country. He wished that the two institutions inaugurated today in Jamnagar and Jaipur will prove beneficial in this direction as well.
ITRA, Jamnagar: Recently created through an Act of Parliament, the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), is poised to emerge as a world class healthcare institution. ITRA has 12 Departments, three clinical laboratories and three research laboratories. It is also a leader in research work in traditional medicine, and presently, it is conducting 33 research projects. ITRA has been formed by conglomerating the cluster of four Ayurveda Institutes at Gujarat Ayurveda University campus, Jamnagar. It is the first Institute in Ayush Sector having the Institution of National Importance (INI) status. With the upgraded status, ITRA will have autonomy to upgrade the standard of Ayurveda education as it would offer courses as per modern, international standards. Further, it will forge interdisciplinary collaborations to give a contemporary thrust to Ayurveda.
NIA, Jaipur: An Ayurveda institution with country wide repute, NIA got a shot in the arm with Deemed to be University (De novo Category) status. Inheritor of a 175-year legacy, NIA’s contribution to preserving, promoting and advancing authentic Ayurveda in the last few decades has been significant. Presently NIA possesses 14 different departments. The institute has a very good student teacher ratio with a total intake of 955 students and 75 faculties during 2019-20. It runs numerous courses in Ayurveda ranging from certificate to doctoral level. With state-of-the-art lab facilities, NIA has also been a pioneer in research activities. At present, it conducts 54 different research projects. With the conferring of Deemed to be University (De novo category), the National Institute is set to reach new heights by achieving highest standards in tertiary health care, education and research.
15-Oct-2020: ‘Ayurveda for Covid-19' to be the main theme of 5th Ayurveda Day
Potential role of Ayurveda in the management of the Covid 19 pandemic will be the focus of this year's 'Ayurveda Day' observation. The Ayurveda Day is being observed every year from 2016, on the day of Dhanvantri Jayanti. This year it falls on 13th November 2020.
The Objective of Ayurveda Day is to focus on strengths of Ayurveda and its unique treatment principles, to work towards reducing the burden of disease and related mortality by utilising the potential of Ayurveda, to tap into the potential of Ayurveda to contribute towards National Health Policy and National Health programmes, and to promote Ayurvedic principles of healing in society. Thus, Ayurveda Day is more an occasion of re-dedication to the profession and the society, than one of festivities or celebrations.
The Ministry of Ayush, has decided to organise various activities marking the 5th 'Ayurveda Day', with a special focus on concerns related to the present pandemic and how Ayurveda can help in immunity building in this context.
A webinar on the theme of 'Ayurveda for Covid-19 Pandemic' will be organised on 'Ayurveda Day.' It aims to be an occasion of virtual information dissemination about the various initiatives of the Ayurveda discipline to mitigate Covid 19 through. About 1.5 lakh participants from all over the world are expected to attend the webinar. The Ministry of Ayush has also requested embassies/missions abroad to observe the 'Ayurveda Day' with appropriate activities that would engage the public.
Apart from the Webinar, various other activities are also planned to mark the observation. Interactive webinars with BIMSTEC and IBSA countries in the second half of October, and interactive webinar for industry in association with the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Exim Bank on export of Ayurveda products have been planned.
Different State and UT Governments are also organising events like webinars, radio talk, quiz and health camps on the theme of 'Ayurveda for Covid-19 Pandemic' as a part of Ayurveda Day observation. Publicising the events widely in electronic and print media and engaging Ayurveda colleges, Ayurveda Drug Manufacturing Associations, Ayurveda Practitioners Association, State PMUs of NHM/NAM and engaging NGOs such as Rotary Club and Lions Club for various activities are also being planned.
Ayurveda, the original healthcare tradition of humanity, is not just a medical system, but a manifestation of our symbiotic relationship with nature. It is a well-documented systems of healthcare, wherein prevention of disease and promotion of health are both given due consideration.
13-Oct-2022: Indian delegation led by the Secretary, DBT visits NIH, USA for the 34th Meeting of the Joint Working Group of Indo-US Vaccine Action Programme on 11th and 12th October 2022
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is implementing a focused bilateral collaborative programme known as the Indo-US Vaccine Action Programme (VAP), jointly with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA, since July 1987. The current five-year VAP Joint Statement has been extended till 2027, noting the Science and Technology Agreement between United States of America and the Republic of India, with due approval from the Hon’ble Minister of Science & Technology and the Ministry of External Affairs.
Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, the Secretary, DBT along with the Indian delegation comprising of senior officials from DBT is visiting the USA for the 34th Meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) of VAP and other scientific consultations. The JWG provides oversight to VAP and comprises of Experts and the policy makers from India and US, co-Chaired by the Secretary, DBT from the Indian side.
The meeting is being convened on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland, on 11th and 12th October, 2022. During the meeting, the Joint statement of Indo-US VAP has been signed by Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale and Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director, NIAID in the presence of the Honorable Indian Ambassador to the United States, considering the five year extension accorded to the programme till 2027.
As per practice, a ‘Rama-Robbins Lecture’ was organized in the remembrance of Late Prof. V. Ramalingaswami, former National Professor and Late Prof. Fred Robbins, former Chairman of VAP JWG from US side. The lecture is an engaging talk on a subject of scientific relevance to both the countries delivered by an eminent personality in the field of Health Sciences. This year, the ‘Rama-Robbins Lecture’ was delivered by Dr. Fauci on ‘Pandemic preparedness and lessons from COVID-19. A talk was also delivered by Secretary, DBT.
6-Oct-2022: Quick OPD registrations now possible under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission
The National Health Authority (NHA) under its flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is undertaking a pilot for faster OPD registration service at the new OPD block of Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) & Smt. Sucheta Kriplani Hospital (SSKH) in New Delhi. This service allows old as well as new patients to simply scan a QR Code and share their demographic details like name, father name, age, gender, address, mobile number etc. with the hospital. This helps to reduce the time taken at the OPD registration counter, provides accurate data in the hospital record and, most importantly, avoid the wait in the long queues. The service is planned to be extended to other health facilities and departments soon.
The QR Code based OPD registration service allows the patients to scan the hospital’s unique QR Code with their mobile phone (using phone camera/scanner/ABHA App/Arogya Setu App/or any other ABDM enabled App) and share their profile details with the hospital. Once the profile is shared, the hospital provides a token number (queue number). The token generated is sent as a notification to the patient’s selected app and is also displayed on the screens placed at the OPD registration counters for the ease of patients. As per their token number, the patient can go to the registration counter and directly collect their outpatient slip (OP Slip) for doctor consultation as their details are already present at the registration counter.
Talking about the benefits of this service, Dr. R.S. Sharma, CEO, NHA said – “Under the ABDM, we’re using technology to simplify processes and make healthcare more efficient. The QR Code based rapid OPD registration service is a step in this direction. It helped over 2200 patients avoid the hustle of long queues with considerably reduced waiting time and minimal time at the registration counter within 15 days of this pilot in LHMC & SSKH. The direct profile sharing has also helped achieve higher level of accuracy in patient records. Our team is working with other health facilities and departments to extend this service and help more patients.”
The ABDM team worked closely with the team of LHMC/ SSKH to set-up the QR Code based faster registration service for their OPD block. Appropriate messaging and kiosk were put up to significantly reduce the waiting time for patients. Further, to assist the patients, support personnel were also posted to help them understand the steps and benefits of using this service. The team also helped the patients create their Ayushman Bharat Health Account or ABHA numbers that shall help them in digitizing their health records. These services will now be extended to more health facilities like hospitals, clinics, diagnostic labs etc. to help the patients save time and efforts.
2-Aug-2022: Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) making steady progress in digitizing and linking health records of citizens with their ABHA numbers
The National Health Authority (NHA) under its flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is building a comprehensive digital health ecosystem for the country. Since nationwide launch in September 2021, ABDM has achieved significant growth with over 23 crore ABHA numbers (earlier known as Health ID), 1.14 Lakh health facilities registered in the Health Facility Registry (HFR), 33 thousand healthcare professionals under the Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR), 6.6 lakh ABHA app downloads and 3.4 Lakh health records linked to ABHA of individuals.
With more individuals, healthcare professionals like doctors, nurses, paramedics and health facilities like hospitals, nursing homes, wellness centres, clinics, diagnostic labs, pharmacies joining ABDM, digitization of health records at their point of creation is now possible. For digitization of old health records, individuals can use the ABHA app or any other personal health record (PHR) app to scan and save their records. By linking these digital records to their ABHA, individuals will be able to connect with professionals and facilities digitally and get quality and affordable health services irrespective of geographic distance.
Acknowledging the cooperation and active involvement of the respective States & UTs in taking the mission forward and improving access and affordability of healthcare services, NHA will recognize the top performing states/ UTs, districts and health facilities (public as well as private) for their contribution under ABDM. The States/ UTs, districts and health facilities contributing the most in a 50-day period from 01.08.2022 to 19.09.2022 would be recognized during the first anniversary of the scheme under 4 categories as follows:
- Category A: States/UTs with highest number of health records linked to ABHA(s) in the state/UT from 01.08.2022 to 19.09.2022 per one lakh population.
- Category B: Districts with highest number of health records linked to ABHA(s) in the district from 01.08.2022 to 19.09.2022 per one lakh population.
- Category C: States/UTs achieving highest percentage saturation in population of HFR and HPR registries in private and public Sector by 19.09.2022.
- Category D: Facilities from government and private sector with highest number of health records linked to ABHA(s) in 50-day period from 01.08.2022 to 19.09.2022.
In addition to the above categories, NHA will recognize top performing ABDM integrators (digital health solutions integrated with the scheme) on the basis of number of health records linked to ABHA numbers within 50 days period from 01.08.2022 to 19.09.2022. The top performing integrators from government and public sector shall be recognized in separate categories.
28-Jul-2022: More than 50 digital health services/ applications integrated with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)
The National Health Authority (NHA) announced expansion of the digital health ecosystem being built under its flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) with successful integrations of 52 digital health applications. In the last two months, additional 12 health service applications completed their integration across various milestones in the ABDM sandbox environment. After a successful demonstration, these applications were added to the ABDM Partners ecosystem. The tally now includes 20 government applications and 32 private sector applications.
On the significance of this milestone, Dr. R. S. Sharma, CEO, NHA said – “The ABDM integrators are our crucial partners in this journey of taking the benefits of digital healthcare delivery to the masses. As more and more existing health applications join the ecosystem, the scope for innovation increases and the system evolves much faster. This integration signifies how the public and private sectors can come together and collaborate to strengthen a digital health ecosystem for the country. We’re looking forward to partnering with more start-ups and health tech innovators.”
Following are the 12 new applications added to ABDM Partners ecosystem after 11th May 2022 (listed category-wise, alphabetically):
- HMIS (Hospital Management Information System) for Central Government Hospital Scheme (CGHS) and Hospital Management System by NICE-HMS
- Health Tech solutions like Equal app by Infinity Identity Technologies Pvt Ltd, IHX Claim Management Platform by IHX, Karkinos Application Suite by Karkinos Healthcare Private Limited, Meraadhikar app by Fingoole Technologies Pvt Ltd, nPe Bills & Services app by NICT, Paperplane WhatsApp Clinic by Paperplane Communications Pvt Ltd and HISP-EMR by Society for Health Information System Program (HISP India)
- Other prominent government solutions like Anmol Application of the National Health Mission by NIC, eSanjeevani AB-HWC by C-DAC Mohali and UKTelemedicine Service for Uttarakhand Government by Dhanush Infotech Pvt Ltd
NOTE: Some products may have features of more than one category of digital health solutions.
As many as 919 health tech innovators are participants in the ABDM Sandbox. Since the nationwide launch of ABDM on 27th September 2021, popular health applications from both public as well as private section have shown enthusiastic participation in the ecosystem. By completing their ABDM integration across three levels, 52 out of these 919 innovators are connecting more users to India’s digital health ecosystem. This collaborative approach towards digitization of healthcare delivery will help India achieve its goal of healthcare for all in the most effective, efficient and affordable manner.
The remaining 40 health tech applications that had completed their ABDM integration before 11th May 2022 are as below (listed category-wise, alphabetically):
- HMIS systems like Amrit by Piramal Swasthya Management and Research Institute, Athma by Narayana Health Limited, Bahmni by Thoughtworks Technologies, Bajaj Finserv Health for Doctors, Bajaj Finserv Health App by Bajaj Finserve Health Limited, DocOn by DocOn Technologies, DrucareOne by Drucare Pvt Ltd, e-Hospital by NIC, e-Sushrut by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) Noida, EkaCare by Orbi Health, MediXcel by Plus91 Technologies Private Limited and Medmantra by Apollo Hospitals,
- LMIS systems like Centralised Laboratory Information Management Systems (CLIMS) by SRL Limited, CrelioHealth by Crelio Health Software and Patient Registration Application by Dr Lal Pathlabs Ltd,
- Personal Health Records (PHR) apps like Aarogya Setu by National Informatics Centre (NIC), DigiLocker by National e-Governance Division, DocPrime by DocPrime Technologies and DRiefcase by Driefcase Healthtech Pvt Ltd,
- Health Tech solutions like ALA CARE by Alafied Solutions Private Limited, Curelink by Curelink Private Limited, Doxper by InformDS Technologies Private Limited, Indian Joint Registry (IJR) by NEC Software Solutions India, JioHealthHub by Reliance Digital Health Limited, MarSha Health Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) by MarSha Healthcare, MEDPlat by ArguSoft India Ltd, Paytm by One97 Communications Limited, Practo by Practo Technologies, Pristyn Care by GHV Advanced Care Private Limited, Raxa by Raxa Health Information Services Private Limited and Verraton Health by Verraton Health Pvt. Ltd,
- and Other health tech solutions developed by Central and State Governments like ANM AP HEALTH app for Andhra Pradesh Medical Staff and EHR by Andhra Pradesh Health and Family Welfare Department, CoWIN by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), CPHC-NCD Software by National Institute of Health & Family Welfare (NIHFW), e-Aarogya by Health Department DNH & DD, e-SanjeevaniOPD by C-DAC Mohali, Integrated Health Management System by West Bengal Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), National Viral Hepatitis Control Program (NVHCP), Nikshay by Central TB Division, Reproductive & Child Health (RCH) Portal and Anmol application of National Health Mission (NHM) by NIC and Transaction Management System (TMS) and Beneficiary Identification System (BIS) of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) by National Health Authority (NHA)
The ABDM integrations are achieved through ABDM Sandbox (a digital space for experimentation created for testing of integration processes before the digital health product is made live for the actual use). Any digital health service provider/ developer can register on the ABDM Sandbox by following a pre-defined process of integrating and validating their software systems with the ABDM APIs. Currently, 919 public and private sector integrators have enrolled under ABDM Sandbox for integrating and validating their software solutions under the scheme. More information on the ABDM Sandbox is available here: https://sandbox.abdm.gov.in/. The complete list of ABDM partners is available here: https://sandbox.abdm.gov.in/applications/Integrators.
26-Jul-2022: A total of 22,97,64,327 ABHA numbers have been created till 15th July 2022
Government of India launched Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) with an aim to establish National Digital Health ecosystem by creating an online platform, enabling interoperability of health data so as to create longitudinal electronic health record (EHR) of citizens.
Three key registries of ABDM namely ABHA number/Health ID, Health Professional Registry (HPR), Health Facility Registry (HFR) and digital infrastructure for data exchange is created to enable data interoperability across digital health platforms. Creation of ABHA number is voluntary. Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) can be generated for citizens of all age-groups, post a KYC verification.
The ABHA Number generated is permanently assigned to the person as its Unique ID. Till 15thJuly 2022, a total of 22,97,64,327 ABHA numbers have been created. ABHA number can be populated across existing digital health interventions to create longitudinal EHR of the citizen.
Inclusion is one of the core design principles for all ABDM building blocks. For citizens who require assistance for creation of ABHAs, assisted modes have been rolled out. Further, offline ABHA generation module has been rolled out in rural areas wherein interconnectivity is limited or not available.
25-Jun-2022: National Health Authority to host Hackathon Series under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)
The National Health Authority (NHA) will be hosting its first ever open-to-all hackathon series to drive ideation and innovations around the different building blocks in the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) ecosystem. The series will begin with a hackathon - ‘Round 1: Kickstarting Unified Health Interface (UHI)’ slated for 14th to 17th July 2022. The hackathon shall be focussed on the Unified Health Interface (UHI) and would aim at mobilising the health start-up ecosystem in India and bringing together individuals and organisations to develop solutions through UHI.
The hackathon will provide an excellent opportunity for innovators, data experts and developers from all over the world to collaborate and build innovative solutions for providing access to digital health services through UHI.
UHI is designed as an open network to enable the interoperable transaction of digital health services such as teleconsultation. Through UHI, patients can discover, book, conduct and pay for services offered by a variety of participating providers from any application of their choosing. This stands in contrast to the current mode of digital health service delivery, where patients and doctors must transact using a common application or platform.
Announcing the Hackathon Series, Dr. R.S. Sharma, CEO, NHA said “India has enabled creation of some of the most efficient public delivery systems in the world, as has been witnessed through JAM and UPI, by breaking silos and unlocking network effects. ABDM and UHI will enable the same for the healthcare ecosystem and this Hackathon Series will enable players to collaborate and build solutions which define the future of healthcare. All are invited to participate in creating a better health ecosystem for every Indian”
‘ABDM Hackathon Series - Round 1: Kickstarting UHI’ will focus on two major themes:
- Innovation Track: Challenge for innovative solutions to power digital health in an open network around various use cases such as teleconsultation, ambulance booking, lab tests, physical consultation booking, lab tests booking.
- Integration Track: Challenge to accelerate development of applications that are compatible with UHI and integrate these applications with the applications of other such participants to enable digital health transactions on the UHI network.
The tentative prize pool for ‘Round 1 – Kickstarting UHI’ is Rs. 60,00,000*. This shall be awarded to the top performers on each challenge track on the above-mentioned themes. The solutions shall be assessed by an independent jury. Interested participants are requested to register here https://abdm.gov.in/register
*The prizes are tentative; the jury might decide to award fewer or more prizes.
Further, as part of the UHI hackathon, NHA shall be organising masterclasses to further the participants' understanding of the ABDM ecosystem. The details about upcoming masterclasses, challenge statements, prizes under each category and other updates shall be posted on ABDM website - https://abdm.gov.in and UHI portal - https://uhi.abdm.gov.in.
The first round of ABDM Hackathon Series will be followed by a Health Claims Exchange (HCX) Hackathon; the details will be shared on the ABDM and UHI website.
For further details on UHI, the full text of the UHI Consultation Paper, as well as the recording of the UHI Public Webinar may be referred to. They are available for download on the ABDM website at https://abdm.gov.in/publications
13-Jun-2022: National Health Authority (NHA) organised a conclave on Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) – Revolutionizing Digital Health in association with NASSCOM
The National Health Authority (NHA) and NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Service Companies) jointly organized the NHA-NASSCOM Conclave 2022 on Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission – Revolutionizing Digital Health. The Conclave was held in Bengaluru today as a hybrid event with participation of over 400 stakeholders and industry veterans from the healthcare & technology sector as well as investor community in India in physical/ virtual mode.
The chief guest for the event, Hon’ble Minister of Health & Family Welfare, and Medical Education, Govt. of Karnataka - Dr. K. Sudhakar said - “Ayushman Bharat or long life for all Indians can be ensured when quality healthcare can be provided to one and all. This is possible by providing not just the infrastructure but also the technology platform that ABDM envisages to build. This platform will help gradually move the health system from one focused on promotive and preventive health, to one that will also focus on predictive health.”
Sharing his thoughts on Karnataka’s Vision on Digital Health, Dr. Sudhakar added – “During our fight against COVID-19 pandemic, we saw the importance of digital services for healthcare delivery. The impact that teleconsultation, online appointment bookings, readily available health information and access to specialists had on people was unprecedented. We’re positive that the ABDM platform will help us scale the efforts and create a conductive environment with enthusiastic public and private sector participation. We look forward to take up implementation of ABDM in mission mode and give it speed, scalability and support that we can provide at state-level to achieve the ultimate aim of healthcare for all.”
Speaking on the vision behind the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), Dr. R.S. Sharma, CEO, NHA said – “India is standing at the forefront of digital revolution. The world has seen the success story of our country with the largest digital identity program, record adoption of digital payments and more recently, national vaccination program via CoWIN platform. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission aims to replicate this success in healthcare delivery by building an equitable, accessible and inclusive ecosystem that rides on collaborative efforts of the government and private sector”.
The conclave also saw a special address by Shri Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary to Govt. of Karnataka, Health & Family Welfare Services on the importance of improving healthcare through digital innovations. Dr. Praveen Gedam, Additional CEO, NHA and Mission Director for ABDM elaborated on the opportunities this program presents for the entire ecosystem.
NASSCOM played a key role in gathering thought leaders from the health & technology sector for panel discussions on how to drive usage of digital health and the role of innovators in digital health stack. The panelists included heads of health tech organizations in India (in no particular order) like Arthur D. Little India, Manipal Hospitals, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Royal Philips, Indegene, Quadria Capital, Medi Assist, Tata Elxsi, Narayana Health, DRiefcase, CrelioHealth, Plus91 and EkaCare.
Dedicated sessions were also held on the opportunities under ABDM for the healthcare ecosystem and Unified Health Interface (UHI) & Health Claims Exchange (HCX) as accelerators for digital health. Besides the sessions and panel discussions, health tech innovators Artivatic, Ala Care and Raxa Health also set-up innovation booths at the event venue. The thought leaders concluded the NHA-NASSCOM Conclave 2022 with an exciting brainstorming session on ways to increase the adoption of teleconsultation in India.
5-Apr-2022: Update on Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission
The National Digital Health Mission (now known as Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission-ABDM) was launched as a pilot on 15th August 2020 in six Union Territories– Andaman & Nicobar, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry. Its aim is to establish a National Digital Health Ecosystem by creating an online platform enabling interoperability of health data within the health ecosystem to create longitudinal electronic health record of citizens & facilitate delivery of health services through this Digital Health Ecosystem.
Three key registries of NDHM namely Health ID, Health Professional Registry (HPR), Health Facility Registry (HFR) and digital infrastructure for data exchange have been developed and implemented in these UTs. On 27th September 2021, the national rollout of the ABDM has been announced. As on date, Rs 45 Cr has been released to National Health Authority (NHA) for implementation of ABDM.
Till 28th March 2022, a total of 20,97,55,222 Health IDs (ABHA Number) have been created in the country.
As implementing agency, National Health Authority (NHA) has initiated awareness campaigns in healthcare facilities through IEC materials. As part of outreach activities, multiple SMS campaigns have been launched and webinars with doctors have been organized to raise awareness and increase participation in ABDM.
26-Feb-2022: Cabinet approves implementation of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission with a budget of Rs.1,600 crore for five years
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the national roll-out of Central Sector Scheme, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, with a budget of Rs.1,600 crore for five years. The National Health Authority (NHA) will be the implementing agency of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
Digital health solutions across healthcare ecosystem have proven to be of immense benefit over the years, with CoWIN, Arogya Setu and eSanjeevani further demonstrating the role technology can play in enabling access to healthcare. However, there is a need to integrate such solutions for continuum of care, and effective utilization of resources.
Based on the foundations laid down in the form of Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile (JAM) trinity and other digital initiatives of the government, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is creating a seamless online platform through the provision of a wide-range of data, information and infrastructure services, duly leveraging open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems while ensuring the security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information.
Under the ABDM, citizens will be able to create their ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) numbers, to which their digital health records can be linked. This will enable creation of longitudinal health records for individuals across various healthcare providers, and improve clinical decision making by healthcare providers. The mission will improve equitable access to quality healthcare by encouraging use of technologies such as telemedicine and enabling national portability of health services.
The pilot of ABDM was completed in the six Union Territories of Ladakh, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep with successful demonstration of technology platform developed by the NHA. During the pilot, digital sandbox was created in which more than 774 partner solutions are undergoing integration. As on 24th February 2022, 17,33,69,087 Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts have been created and 10,114 doctors and 17,319 health facilities have been registered in ABDM.
Not only will ABDM facilitate evidence-based decision making for effective public health interventions, but it will also catalyse innovation and generate employment across the healthcare ecosystem.
4-Feb-2022: More than 15 Crore National Digital Health IDs created under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission
The National Digital Health Mission (now known as Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission) was launched on 15th August 2020 as a pilot in six Union Territories - Andaman & Nicobar, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.
The pilot phase of ABDM was successfully conducted between 15th August 2020 to 27th September 2021.Three key registries of NDHM namely Health ID, Health Professional Registry (HPR), Health Facility Registry (HFR) and digital infrastructure for data exchange have been developed and implemented in these UTs. On 27th September 2021, the national rollout of the ABDM has been announced.
Till 25th January 2022, 15,05,92,811 Health IDs (now known as ABHA – Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts) have been created in the country. A total of 15,016 health facilities and 8,378 doctors have been registered under ABDM ecosystem.
Creation of Health ID is voluntary. National Health Authority is creating awareness among the citizens about the usages and advantages of Health ID to maximize participation from citizen.
ABHA numbers (earlier known as Health IDs) have been created for those beneficiaries enrolled through CoWIN platform who have provided Aadhaar as the ID proof at the vaccination site only after taking their consent through the vaccinator.
The Information Technology Act 2000 along with policies and guidelines including but not limited to Health Data Management Policy, Sandbox Guidelines etc. published by ABDM from time to time lay down the regulatory and policy framework for the regulation of ABDM.
Besides a part of the funds available at the level of hospitals, Union Health Ministry is also supporting States and UTs in implementation and strengthening of health IT initiatives such as Hospital Management Information Systems, Telemedicine services etc. in public health facilities through National Health Mission.