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. It provides for assisted & 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 14th 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.

The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.