NATIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY

Description

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Context - The National Health Authority and NASSCOM have recently jointly organised a Conclave 2022 on Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission with the objective to Revolutionise Digital Health.

Details

The Conclave was held in Bengaluru.
Many stakeholders and industry veterans from the healthcare and technology sector were present at the conclave.
The initiative will help the health system to move from promotive and preventive health to predictive health.
The National Health Authority is responsible for implementing the Health insurance/assurance scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
- The main objective of the Mission is to leverage technology to deliver health care services to remotest areas of the country.

About Ayushman Bharat National Digital Mission

It will ensure access to quality healthcare by promoting the use of technologies such as telemedicine and supporting the national portability of health services.
Citizens can create their ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) numbers, to link their digital health records.
The National Health Authority will be the implementing agency of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
It aims to create a National Digital Health ecosystem that supports universal health coverage in an efficient, accessible, inclusive, affordable, timely and safe manner.

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Concerns

Privacy concerns and misuse of data.
Exclusion of citizens and denied healthcare due to System failure or technical errors.

Steps by the Government to reform Health Sector

Promotion of Institutional deliveries through Cash incentive under Janani Suraksha Yojana.
Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram: Free ante-natal Check-ups, Postnatal Care and treatment of Sick infants till one year of age.
Providing Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Services, the establishment of Special Newborn Care Units.
Home Based Newborn Care is being provided by ASHAs.
MAA for improving breastfeeding practices.
Pradhan Mantri Dialysis Program.
Mission Indradhnaush: Expanding full immunisation Coverage, the introduction of new vaccines.
PM Swasthya Suraksha Yojana for strengthening the tertiary health Sector.
POSHAN Abhiyaan to address Malnutrition.
Iron and folic acid Supplementation for Prevention of Anaemia, home visits by ASHAs to promote breastfeeding and promote the use of ORS and Zinc for management of diarrhoea in children.
Medical Devices Rules, 2017: Transparent regulatory System, Ensure Safety and quality of medical devices, Allowed 100% FDI in medical devices Sector to Promote Make in India.
National Health Resource Repository: Create a reliable, unified registry of the Country’s healthcare resources showing the distribution pattern of health facilities and Services between Cities and rural areas - ISRO is a technology Partner for providing data Security.
Allowed 100% FDI in the Medical devices Sector to promote Make in India.
Kayakalp initiative to Promote Cleanliness, hygiene and infection control practices in public health facilities.

Steps need to be taken

Reduce the Pressure on Secondary and tertiary hospitals by investing in Preventive and Primary Health Care facilities.
Early detection and Prevention.
Provide adequate protection to doctors.
Increasing the Doctor-Patient ratio.
Reduce Out Of Pocket Expenditure.
Increase the number of vaccines under Mission Indradhanush.
Increasing the number of drugs and medical devices under price control.
The Ministry Should Standardise the Cost of Certain treatments.
Raising Public Health expenditure to 2.5% of GDP.
Provide accessible, affordable and quality health care.
Inform and educate people about the traditional Systems of medicine.
Ayurveda Doctors and Yoga Teachers for Rural Areas.
Improve Hospital access, Health worker density, and Access to essential medicine.
Mobile Medical Units to Provide outreach Services in rural and remote areas.