Centre Allocates INR 4.39 Cr Fund to Meghalaya under ABDM

Reportedly, out of the INR 4.39 Cr allocation, the Centre has released an amount of INR 1.50 Cr for implementation of ABDM in the State of which INR 1.28 Cr has been spent by the State.

The Central government has allocated INR 4.39 Cr to Meghalaya under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to develop the backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure.

Reportedly, out of the INR 4.39 Cr allocation, the Centre has released an amount of INR 1.50 Cr for implementation of ABDM in the State of which INR 1.28 Cr has been spent by the State for the purpose.

In another significant move by NHA, several hospitals in Jammu and Kashmir have initiated digital payment facilities for the convenience of patients. It has mandated hospital administrators to integrate QR codes, ushering in a new era of efficiency and transparency in healthcare transactions.

Dr Shafqat Khan, additional mission director, ABDM, J&K, highlighted the importance of facilitating digital payments in hospitals. He said approximately 10 health institutions have already introduced this facility, and all health institutions are expected to adopt it in the coming days.

“The implementation of digital payment facilities aims to reduce waiting times for payment processes. Hospital heads have been directed to create digital payment options, including QR codes for UPI payments and provisions for debit/credit card payments through Point of Sale (PoS) machines,” Dr Khan stated.

The core components of ABDM include the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) for citizens, the Health Professional Registry (HPR), the Health Facility Registry (HFR) and the ABHA Application. The digital health ecosystem created by ABDM supports continuity of care across primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare in a seamless manner.

ABDM, is a central sector scheme with an outlay of INR 1600 Cr for five years from 2021-2022 to 2025-2026.

NHA was established in 2019, succeeding the National Health Agency, which was functioning as a registered society. NHA - National Health Authority is the apex body responsible for implementing India’s flagship public health insurance/assurance scheme called “Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana”.

It has also been entrusted with the role of designing strategy, building technological infrastructure, and implementing the “National Digital Health Mission” to create a National Digital Health Ecosystem.

NHA has recently been making significant strides in healthcare, particularly in digitisation. For instance - in collaboration with the IRDAI, the NHA sought to operationalise the NHCX, serving as a gateway for exchanging claims-related information within the healthcare and health insurance ecosystem.

Recently, NHA appointed Deepti Gaur Mukherjee as its new CEO. Prior to this appointment, she served as the additional secretary to the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.