Lok Sabha Question No. 1848 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-06
Subject: Digital Healthcare System
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri K C Venugopal

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No-1848 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2024

## DIGITAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

## 1848 SH KC VENUGOPAL:

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

(a) whether the Government has any strategy to combat the twin challenges of accessibility and acceptability of the healthtech sector caused due to a digital divide and a lack of digital literacy among the public;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to address the rise in health tech startups;

(d) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to improve 'medical data consolidation and management' in the country; and

(e) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government for infrastructural development / improvement in quality healthcare through digital healthcare system?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) to (e) Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) has been launched with a vision to create national digital health ecosystem that supports universal health coverage in an efficient, accessible, inclusive, affordable, timely and safe manner. The mission aims to develop the backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country to bridge the digital divide.

The Mission provides for assisted and offline mode for creation of Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) for areas with limited internet connectivity or hardware or both. Various application such as ABHA app, Aarogya Setu app are multi-lingual and intuitive to use, with a view to address the lack of digital literacy.

Health-tech startups have the potential to revolutionize the healthcare sector by supporting innovations. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) promotes adoption of open standards by all digital health stakeholders including health tech startups. Government has set up an ABDM sandbox to integrate these solutions to ABDM ecosystem. Government has also launched various initiatives like the Digital Health Incentive Scheme, microsites, collaboration with pharmacies and laboratories to accelerate adoption of digital health, particularly focused towards private sector including startups.

Health Data Management Policy (HDM Policy) was released on 14 th Dec 2020 by the Union Ministry of Health as a guidance document highlighting minimum standards for privacy and data protection to be followed by the participants/stakeholders of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) ecosystem. Health Data Management Policy specifies that no data shall be shared with any other entity without consent of the individual.

To ensure the effective implementation of ABDM, the Union Health Ministry provides financial assistance to States/UTs for human resources, information education & communication (IEC), and capacity building including necessary handholding support in onboarding the facilities/ health professionals and integrate state health digital health programs/solutions under ABDM ecosystem. Union Health Ministry also provides financial assistance to all States/UTs under National Health Mission for strengthening of health infrastructure for the implementation of IT interventions such as Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) and telemedicine services across the country.

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