Prime Minister
Narendra Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission on Monday, a mission
aimed at transforming India’s healthcare system through integration of
technology. Launching the mission over video conference, Prime Minister Modi described
the launch of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission as a “new and extraordinary phase
that the country is entering today”. The mission has the ability to bring
revolutionary change in India’s health facilities, according to the prime
minister.

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Prime Minister
Modi said that the scheme will benefit the poor and the middleclass the most by
removing problems they face in getting medical treatment.

Ayushman Bharat
Digital Mission, also known as Pradhan Mantri Digital Health Mission or the
National Digital Health Mission was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day last year.

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The mission is
aimed at creating a seamless online platform that allows information exchange
within the digital health ecosystem.

There are three
major components of the mission: a digital health ID for citizens, a registry
of healthcare professionals and a registry of healthcare facilities.

The digital health
mission will enable access and exchange of longitudinal health records of
citizens with their consent.

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One of the chief
components of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission is the creation of a digital health
ID for citizens. The health ID will be a 14-digit unique health identification
number that will also function as a health account.

The health ID will
contain all health-related information of a person including every test, every
disease, doctors visited, medicines taken and other diagnosis. The ID will be
created using the person’s primary details, mobile number and Aadhaar.

The health ID will
be connected to a healthcare professionals registry (HPR) and a healthcare
facilities registry (HFR). The digital health IDs will be free of cost and
voluntary.