Revolutionary Changes to be heralded through Digital Health Services: Minister Sudhakar

Karnataka is the leading state in applied-technology in healthcare

Bengaluru, June 13: ‘Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission’ is a very important programme that aims to provide the best health care to even the last person in the global context. It will bridge the gaps in the health sector and make way to create a sustainable health ecosystem, said Dr. K Sudhakar, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka.

Speaking at a Conclave on ‘Ayushman Bharat Digit Mission,’ organised by NASSCOM, he said, “Out of more than 7500 start-ups, Bengaluru houses most of them. Karnataka is the leading state in technology use.”

“The state is collating information on all the health services available, including the human resources. With this initiative, we will be able to provide quality healthcare to everyone. To supplement the efforts in this direction, the Ambulance services in the state will be completely overhauled in a month’s time. Over a telecall, the ambulance drivers would be provided with information on which hospitals the patients need to be taken. With this, timely treatment would be provided to the patients without delays,” he pointed.

Sudhakar also mentioned that everyone would be provided with a Health ID, under the programme of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. Along with it, a comprehensive registry of all the doctors, starting from the superspecialists to the general doctors, would be collected. With this, the problem of quacks that is concerning the health department would also be eliminated.

Elaborating further, Sudhakar mentioned that the face of the health sector has changed in the post-covid era. Using the tool of e-MANAS, counselling services had been provided to more than 25 lakh people in the state, since the first wave of Covid19. He further added that the initiative was lauded by even the union government, which has decided to expand it for all the states in the country. In the same way, using programmes such as Tele-ICU and Tele-Medicine services, equitable and quality treatment was made available to all the regions in the state, he added.

Detailing further, Sudhakar explained that private health facilities play a prominent role in providing health services. More than 50 % of the people in India are dependent on private establishments for their healthcare needs. Private hospitals collect all the information from the patients. However, they are not sharing this information with the government. He said that this mindset has to change.

If private hospitals share the information on patients available with them, an appropriate health system can be devised. In this regard, the minister said that it was necessary to enter into a positive partnership with the private hospitals as part of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.

Smaller countries such as Estonia and Israel have effectively implemented digital health systems. Such a programme is also needed in India, which hosts a huge population. The AB-ArK scheme, implemented by Prime Minister Modi, medical insurance up to Rs. 5 lakh is available to more than 50 crore beneficiaries. The minister asserted that such measures are critical for improving health.

Health services are being provided to lakhs of people in the state through Tele-Medicine, Tele-Radiology, eSanjeevani, Tele-Counselling and other systems. Karnataka is leading in providing these health services in the entire country.

Digital certificates are being issued to the recipients of Covid vaccination in India. India is thus a role model for other countries. He explained that in an advanced country like America, there is no system of issuing digital certificates.

NASSCOM President Debjani Ghosh, CEO Dr. R.S. Sharma, Additional CEO Dr. Praveen Gedam of National Health Authority, Additional Chief Secretary Jawaid Akhtar and Commissioner D. Randeep of the State Health Department were also present in the event.

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