Pradhan Mantri National Digital Health Mission: Overview and Benefits You Should Know

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched the Pradhan Mantri Digital Health Mission. As part of this mission, every person in the country will receive a unique ID card which will have all their health related information.

The best part about this is that you will not need to carry around test reports, receipts etc. while seeking treatment anywhere in the country. All the information is on your health card. Based on your ID, doctors can only ascertain what diseases you have had in the past and where you have been treated.

This programme was earlier known as National Digital Health Mission (NDHM). PM Modi announced the programme from the Red Fort on August 15, 2020. Currently, it is being implemented in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra Nagar Haveli, Damandiu, Ladakh and Lakshadweep. It has now been rolled out across the country. The objective of this mission is to ensure easy access to facilities offering healthcare services to all.

What will the Prime Minister say?

PM Modi at the launch said that the drive to strengthen healthcare facilities in the country for the last seven years will enter a new phase from today. Today, one such mission has been launched that can bring about a revolutionary change in healthcare facilities in India.

Currently, the country has 130 million Aadhaar numbers, 118 million mobile phone subscribers, around 800 million internet users and around 43 million Jan Dhan bank accounts. Nowhere in the world is such a large networked infrastructure available. This digital infrastructure will ensure that everything from distribution to management is quickly and transparently available to the common Indian.

Unique Digital Health Card

Under the Pradhan Mantri Digital Health Mission, a unique digital health card will be issued. It is a type of identity document. It is similar to Aadhaar and will have a randomly generated 14-digit number. This will reveal the personal medical history of each patient.

This card can be issued through Aadhaar or through your mobile number. The best part is that you don’t need to carry any test reports, receipts etc. with you wherever you seek treatment across the country because all your information is contained in the health card.

No more prescriptions required. Hospitals, clinics and doctors are connected to a central server, which stores the complete medical data of all patients. This means that hospitals, clinics and doctors are also registered.

The government will not make this mandatory for everyone immediately, but the aim is to gradually integrate everyone into this system. This will make it easier to manage your personal health records. In this situation, all recipes are also removed. No more doctor’s prescriptions will be required, nor will there be the hassle of bills.