PM Modi announces National Digital Health Mission for seamless access to healthcare

With health concerns uppermost on everyone’s mind amidst the coronavirus crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday used his 74th Independence Day address to roll out a National Digital Health Mission, under which a unique health account would be created for every Indian citizen for seamless and hassle-free access to healthcare anywhere in the country.

“Every Indian will be given a Health ID, which will work like a Health Account for every Indian. This account will contain details of every test, every disease and the doctors visited. It will also have information on the results of diagnostic tests and the medicines that have been prescribed,” Modi said in his address.

“The National Digital Health Mission will eliminate all the difficulties related to appointments with a doctor, depositing money, making a slip in the hospital, etc. We are devising a system which will help each and every citizen to make a better and informed decision.”

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The scheme will be rolled out through a pilot launch in the Union Territories of Chandigarh, Ladakh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, according to a statement from the National Health Agency that will implement the mission.

“Based on the initial learning in the UTs, we will gradually work in partnership with the States to launch the NDHM," said union health minister Harsh Vardhan. Joining in the scheme would be voluntary.

According to the blueprint of the NDHM prepared by the Union Health Ministry, the key components of such a digital health care system are Unique Health Identifier (UHID), privacy and consent management, national portability, electronic health records, applicable standards and regulations, health analytics and multiple access channels like call centres, India Digital Health portal and MyHealth App.

Modi also announced a Rs 100 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline Project to move India towards modernity at a fast pace besides linking lakhs of villages with an optical fibre cable network.

The government will complete the works of connecting all villages with an optical fibre network in the next 1,000 days. The island territory of Lakshadweep will also be connected using submarine-based optical fibre cable.

Pointing that only 5 dozen village panchayats were connected with optical fibre before 2014, the PM said "in the last 5 years, 1.5 lakh village panchayats have been connected with optical fibre. In the coming 1000 days, every village of the nation will be connected with optical fibre."

The Bharat Net project, aimed at providing internet connectivity to 2.5 lakh gram panchayats (GPs) has picked up pace in recent years but is still running behind schedule.

The project, which initially began as the National Optical Fibre Network in October 2011,has been delayed for various reasons. The Centre has been seeking support from the states on the Bharat Net programme and requested them examine right of way issues for promoting development of a robust telecom network.

The PM also announced a new policy on cyber security to be unveiled shortly amid threats emanating from cyber space.