Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 10 Apr: Health Minister Subodh Uniyal today described the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) as the foundation of India’s digital health revolution. He also appealed to citizens of Uttarakhand to create their ABHA ID. Uniyal was addressing a workshop organised by ABDM-Uttarakhand here today as the Chief Guest. The Health Minister asserted that the initiative launched under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Naye Bharat Ki Nayi Udaan” has become a transformative step in making healthcare services more accessible, transparent and effective.
Uniyal reminded that more than 50 crore ABHA IDs have already been generated across the country and millions of health records have been linked to the digital platform. States such as Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat are leading in successful implementation. Uniyal noted that Uttarakhand too is making rapid progress and here lakhs of the citizens have already created their ABHA ID and a large number of government and private health institutions integrated with the platform. He emphasised that telemedicine services are proving particularly beneficial in remote and mountainous regions, enabling patients to consult specialist doctors from their homes and thereby improving access to healthcare.
Urging the people of the state to join the mission, he said that, through ABHA ID, citizens can securely store their health information, avail online consultations and connect with hospitals and doctors anywhere in the country. He added that for a hill state like Uttarakhand, this initiative is especially valuable as it removes barriers of distance and limited resources, ensuring wider reach of medical facilities. He described the mission as a decisive step towards building a strong, inclusive and modern health system that supports the vision of a “Viksit Bharat”.
During the workshop, various sessions were held at which detailed presentations on various aspects of ABDM.
During the inaugural session, Sachin Kurve, Secretary, Medical Health, Uttarakhand, stated in his welcome address that digital health services are a necessity of the future, and the State Government is working rapidly in this direction.
Dr Pankaj Kumar Arora, Director ABDM (NHA), explained how the mission is developing an integrated digital health infrastructure nationwide, underlining the importance of health IDs, digital health records and interoperability. Jyoti Yadav, Joint Secretary AB-PMJAY (NHA), elaborated on digital claim processing, beneficiary tracking and data integration, noting that these processes are delivering seamless healthcare services.
Reena Joshi, State Mission Director, ABDM, and CEO of the State Health Authority, presented the progress and future roadmap of ABDM in Uttarakhand, highlighting rapid advances in ABHA ID creation, health facility registration and integration of digital health records, which are extending services to remote areas. Sachin Kurve, Secretary, Medical Health, Uttarakhand, in his welcome address said that digital health services are the need of the future and the state government is working swiftly in this direction.
Sunil Kumar Barnwal, CEO of the National Health Authority, spoke about digital health governance, data security and the national vision of ABDM, encouraging states to adopt innovations. In the technical session, Pragya Palival, Manager ABDM, discussed ground-level implementation, challenges and solutions, while Rahul Vashisth, Manager NHA, explained the importance of digital clinical support systems and health data management.
The concluding session saw health institutions share their experiences, presenting the positive changes brought about by digital platforms.
