Lok Sabha Question No. 462 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-04
Subject: National Digital Health ID
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Pradyut Bordoloi

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No-462 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2022

## NATIONAL DIGITAL HEALTH ID

## 462    SHRI PRADYUT BORDOLOI:

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

- a)    the  current  status  of  the  implementation  of  National  Digital  Health  Mission  and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission in the country and details of the timelines thereof;
- b)     whether  the  Government  intends  to  make  the  National  Digital  Health  ID  or  Unique Health ID mandatory, if so, the details thereof;
- c)    whether Digital Health IDs were generated for beneficiaries enrolled on the CoWin Portal using Aadhaar, without seeking their option, if so, the reasons thereof;
- d)     the  legal  framework  or  independent  authority  that  currently  regulates  the  NDHM  and ABDM in the absence of a personal data protection or privacy law;
- e)     the  legal  and  technical  relationship  between  central/national  health  ID  and  State  health IDs such as those in Delhi and Tamil Nadu; and
- f)      whether  the  Government  has  data  on  share  of  spending  on  information  technology  in public  sector  hospitals  out  of  total  Government  hospitals  spending  and  if  so,  the  details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

## (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a)  to  (f) The National  Digital  Health  Mission  (now  known  as  Ayushman  Bharat  Digital Mission) was launched on 15 th August 2020 as a pilot in six Union Territories - Andaman & Nicobar, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.

The  pilot  phase  of  ABDM  was  successfully  conducted  between  15 th August  2020  to  27 th September  2021.Three  key  registries  of  NDHM  namely  Health  ID,  Health  Professional Registry (HPR), Health Facility Registry (HFR) and digital infrastructure for data exchange have been developed and implemented in these UTs. On 27th September 2021, the national rollout of the ABDM has been announced .

Till 25 th January 2022, 15,05,92,811 Health IDs (now known as ABHA - Ayushman Bharat Health  Accounts)  have  been  created  in  the  country.  A  total  of  15,016  health  facilities  and 8,378 doctors have been registered under ABDM ecosystem.

Creation of Health ID is voluntary. National Health Authority is creating awareness among the  citizens  about  the  usages  and  advantages  of  Health  ID  to  maximize  participation  from citizen.

ABHA numbers  (earlier  known  as  Health  IDs)  have  been  created  for  those  beneficiaries enrolled  through  CoWIN  platform  who  have  provided  Aadhaar  as  the  ID  proof  at  the vaccination site only after taking their consent through the vaccinator.

The Information Technology Act 2000 along with policies and guidelines including but not limited  to  Health  Data  Management  Policy,  Sandbox  Guidelines  etc.  published  by  ABDM from  time  to  time  lay  down  the  regulatory  and  policy  framework  for  the  regulation  of ABDM.

Besides a part of the funds available at the level of hospitals, Union Health Ministry is also supporting States and UTs in implementation and strengthening of health IT initiatives such as  Hospital  Management  Information  Systems,  Telemedicine  services  etc.  in  public  health facilities through National Health Mission.