Lok Sabha Question No. 950 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-18
Subject: National Digital Health Mission (NDHM)
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Midhun Reddy, Pinaki Misra, Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, K. Subbarayan, Pocha Brahmananda Reddy, Chandra Sekhar Bellana, L.S. Tejasvi Surya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 950 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 th SEPTEMBER, 2020

## NATIONAL DIGITAL HEA LTH MISSION (NDHM)

## 950. SHRI P.V. MIDHUN REDDY:

SHRI L.S. TEJASVI SURYA:

SHRI MAGUNTA SREENIVASULU REDDY:

SHRI POCHA BRAHMANANDA REDDY:

SHRI PINAKI MISRA:

SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR BELLANA:

SHRI SUBBARAYAN K.:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has announced National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) and Health Data Management Policy (HDMP), if so, the details thereof along with the manner and time by which it will be impl mented;
- (b) whether the Government has prepared an opensource inte face like UPI for the National Health ID proposed under the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has taken note of the concerns raised with regard to data privacy of the individuals, if s o, the details thereof and necessary steps taken in this regard;
- (d)  the  details  of  the  competent  authorities  who  will be  able  to  gain  access  to  personal medical data under the NDHM and the criteria for gaining such access;
- (e) whether the creation of di gital Health IDs will be voluntary and if so, whether it will be implementedthrough an opt - in or an opt - out model, if so, the details thereof; and
- (f)  whether  the  Government  would  consider  delaying the  implementation  of  NDHM  and Health Data Management Policy (HDMP) until such a time as a national data protection law has been enacted, if so the details thereof and if not the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a): Yes, National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) has been announced by Hon'ble Prime Minister on 15 th August 2020.

The NDHM is being implemented in phase wise manner.

- Currently, Phase 1 is under implementation in 6 UTs on pilot basis.
- Phase 2 will cover additional States with expansion of the services.
- Phase 3 will target nation - wide roll - out, operationalizing and converging with all health schemes  across  India  along  with  promotion,  on - boarding,  and  acceptance  of  NDHM across the country.

The draft Health Data Mana gement Policy for the National Digital Health Mission has been uploaded on the portal on 20 th August 2020 seeking public feedback.

Public comments are awaited, after which the necessary action to finalize the p will be taken.

(b): The  NDHM  will  adopt  the  policy  on  Open  Standards  and  Open  Source  Software, notified by MeitY, GoI, in designing of the building blocks and in all procurements.

(c): 'Privacy  by  Design'  is  the  one  of  the  principles,  on  which  NDHM  is  being implemented.

The draft Health Data Management Policy has appropriately included measures for data privacy based on GoI guidelines, acts and laws.

(d): The NDHM will have a robust consent framework for facilitating sharing of data the NDHM ecosystem.

The patient i s the owner of the data and has complete control over sharing his/her in NDHM ecosystem.

The personal medical data can only be shared by the patient by giving proper con following consent framework of NDHM.

(e): Yes,  the  creation  of  Health  ID  i s  voluntary.  It  is  an  'opt -in'  model  wherein  an individual will be required to generate the Health ID if he/she wishes to be a part of After opting in, at any stage, he/she can opt out.

(f): No,  there  is  no  proposal  to  delay  the  implementation  of  ND HM  and Health  Data Management Policy (HDMP).

The privacy & security proposed in the Personal Data Protection (PDP) bill have b adopted in the NDHM ecosystem and Health Data Management Policy (HDMP).