Page 30 - NIS English 01-15 Aug 2025

NATION | Five years of ABDM

Digital Health Identity

ADVANCING SWASTHYA BHARAT VISION

It is a challenging task for a country like India
with a population of more than 140 crores and
geographical difficulties to provide easy access to
health services. In this era, when technology usage
has become widespread, India not only found a
solution by connecting health services with the
digital system, but also proved its strength and
efficiency by making it available to crores of citizens.
Digitization in health services, which kick-started
with the announcement of Prime Minister Narendra
Modi from the ramparts of the Red Fort on 15
August 2020, for the National Digital Health Mission,
has now become a symbol of historic transformation
with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission…

uring the Covid pandemic,
when the world was at a
standstill, the importance of
Ddigital technology was visible.
The CoWIN app started a new era of
change in Indian health services. Under
the Free Vaccine Campaign for All, India
made the world’s largest vaccination
Afsana, who lives in Dwarka, Delhi, while campaign possible through the CoWIN
telling about the advantages of Ayushman app. The launch of the National Digital
Bharat Health Account (ABHA), says, Health Mission ushered in a new era
“Now neither do we have to carry our of digitization of health services. After
medical reports with us, nor do we have the successful implementation as a pilot
fear of losing the test reports. The doctor project, it was launched across the
can access everything with just one click.” country as the Ayushman Bharat Digital

Priya Raghav also has a similar experience Health Mission. Now, the digital health-
with ABHA. Priya says, “It saves a lot care revolution is not only making the
of time. That is why everyone should get modern facilities in big cities more
this card made.” effective, but is also making access to
healthcare simple, transparent, and
This story is not just of Afsana and reliable in remote villages. Through
Priya, but also of crores of people who are this mission, a nationwide digital
getting the benefit of the Ayushman Bharat health ecosystem is being created by
Digital Mission (ABDM). integrating healthcare providers and
patients through a unique health ID.

28 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || August 1-15, 2025