Nadda Reviews Next Phase of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

Nadda said digital public infrastructure is changing the way healthcare reaches people by making medical services more accessible and giving citizens secure, consent-based access to their health records.

Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda chaired the third meeting of the Mission Steering Group (MSG) to assess the progress of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and discuss the next steps for strengthening India's growing digital healthcare system. The meeting brought together senior ministers, health officials, representatives from NITI Aayog, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the Ministry of AYUSH, the National Health Authority and several state governments.

Nadda said digital public infrastructure is changing the way healthcare reaches people by making medical services more accessible and giving citizens secure, consent-based access to their health records. He noted that technology should make healthcare easier to use for every Indian while supporting the country's goal of universal health coverage.

ABDM records rapid expansion across healthcare services

The Mission Steering Group reviewed the progress made since its previous meeting and highlighted the steady expansion of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission across the country. Members noted that the platform has developed into one of the world's largest digital health ecosystems, connecting citizens, healthcare providers and medical facilities through a common digital network.

According to the latest figures, more than 93.95 crore ABHA numbers have been created, while over 105 crore health records have been digitally linked. The national digital health registries now include 5.33 lakh health facilities and 9.85 lakh healthcare professionals. Nearly 2.72 lakh healthcare institutions have also adopted ABDM-enabled software, making digital healthcare services available across a wider network.

The meeting also highlighted the success of digital services such as Scan and Register, which has generated around 24 crore tokens to reduce waiting time for outpatient registration and make hospital visits smoother. Members said the consent-based exchange of health information is improving continuity of care by allowing patients to securely share their medical records with healthcare providers whenever needed.

Focus shifts to wider adoption and future technologies

The Mission Steering Group reviewed progress on several earlier decisions, including training programmes, stronger state-level implementation, better integration with government health schemes and increased participation from private healthcare providers. Members also appreciated initiatives such as Model Districts, Model Facilities and Aarogya Setu 2.0, along with the growing integration of ABDM with programmes including Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, CGHS, ESIC and Nikshay.

Discussions also focused on expanding digital health services across the country by improving interoperability, encouraging the use of national digital health standards, strengthening governance systems and making digital healthcare simpler for citizens. The members also explored the role of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, in improving healthcare delivery while building stronger institutional capacity.

Concluding the meeting, Nadda said India has created a strong digital health foundation and the priority now is to ensure its wider use across every part of the country. He added that a resilient, secure and citizen-friendly digital health ecosystem will play an important role in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047 through close cooperation between the Centre, states, Union Territories and all stakeholders.