Bhubaneswar: Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan has requested Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for implementing National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) and Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in the State.
The Union Minister has shot a letter to the Chief Minister on Friday urging him to implement the two crucial flagship public welfare schemes of the Centre.
Pradhan has said these schemes hold immense potential in improving the lives of the people of Odisha.
The Union Minister has pointed out that NDHM will leverage the power of technology to ensure well-being for all citizens including the poor migrants of our State.
“NDHM is a holistic and voluntary healthcare program which will involve all relevant stakeholders for the transformation of digital health infrastructure in India,” he said.
“NDHM leverages the transformative power of e-governance by introducing the concept of a Unique Healthcare ID (UHID) for every citizen in India,” he added.
Pradhan stated that UHID will be a repository or all health-related information of a person, such as medical tests, previous prescriptions, diagnosis, treatments, and all historical health records.
This portable, nation-wide UHID will liberate citizens from the challenges of finding doctors in different locations, seeking an appointment with them, payment of ‘consultation fee, making several visits for prescription sheets, etc. and will empower them to make informed decisions for availing the best possible healthcare services, he added.
The Union Minister said, “NDHM will bring about a revolution it the country’s healthcare sector where technology will play a leading role in minimising the challenges citizens face while seeking healthcare, 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, the achievement of the ‘United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.8 or Universal Health Coverage, including financial risk protection.”
He said that the collective dream of an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ will be built on, a ‘Swasth Bharat’, and especially on the healthcare facilities available to its most needy.
“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. UHID will also be a boon for people situated in remote rural areas of the country who are not able to access health facilities frequently by facilitating telemedicine services and ensuring continuity of their medical history and treatments, thereby saving on their out-of-pocket expenses for medical diagnostics, NDHM will also empower citizens as a consumer of medical services to rate and provide feedback on healthcare service providers, thereby building accountability and competitiveness in the healthcare sector which will ultimately benefit the common man and woman,” he added.
The Union Minister has revealed that NDHM will be developed and implemented by National Health Authority (NHA), the attached office of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and the apex Central government agency responsible for the implementation of AB-PMJAY.
It is already being, rolled out in the Union Territories of Chandigarh, Ladakh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep on a pilot mode, he pointed out.
The Union Minister has further pointed out that NDHM will be able to offer maximum benefit to States when integrated with the AB-PMJAY.
He said that the scheme seeks to cover 50 crore beneficiaries in the country, including over 60 lakh beneficiaries in Odisha.
The Union Minister said that the rolling out of Ayushman Bharat in Odisha and implementation of NDHM will provide timely and efficient access to inclusive, affordable, and safe healthcare to the people of Odisha.