india

Updated: Aug 02, 2019 15:47 IST

The government will organise a meeting of various stakeholders on August 6 to seek suggestions on the National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB), which among other things proposes a unique health identity on the lines of Aadhaar for easy availability of a person’s health details.

The Union ministry of health had on July 15 released the draft blueprint as part of its National Digital Health Mission programme.

The National Health Policy 2017 called for more weightage to the digitisation of healthcare for the better implementation of the Universal Health Coverage.

The health ministry constituted a committee to create an implementation framework for the National Health Stack (NHS), that came up with the National Digital Health Blueprint after surveying the global best practices in the adoption of digital technologies holistically.

“We are seeking public comments and all are free to provide relevant suggestions,” health secretary Preeti Sudan had said on the day of the release of the draft.

The project also aims to ensure transparency and accountability in delivering healthcare services in the country.

“In the absence of an integrated system, the service providers undertake diagnostic tests afresh and create isolated medical records enhancing the burden on the citizen significantly,” the draft blueprint mentions.

“Governments, Central and State alike, do not have reliable and complete data for policy analysis and evidence-based interventions. The need of the hour is to elevate the existing systems from providing disparate electronic services to integrated digital services.”

Niti Aayog released a proposal in July 2018 for the National Health Stack to provide the foundational components that will be required in information technology-driven health programmes in India.

A committee was constituted under J Satyanarayana, chairperson of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to create a framework and implementation plan. The panel submitted its report to the health ministry in April this year.