Why Should You Have Your Unique Health ID Card?

In order to introduce a system that can help the citizens of India access any healthcare facility across the country without any hassle, the Government of India launched the National Digital Health Mission on the day of India’s Independence in 2020.

Under this Mission, every citizen of India will be required to register themselves on Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) through which they will get a Unique Health ID card known as the ABHA card.

What is ABHA?

This unique Health ID card is a digital or e-card which can be used to avail of any healthcare service at any healthcare facility across the country. In order to do so, every citizen is required to register under ABHA. Additionally, to make it comprehensive and seamless, all healthcare facilities, laboratories, vaccination centers, and healthcare professionals are also required to be registered under ABHA.

How to Register on ABHA?

One of the major objectives of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, through ABHA is to provide the utmost convenience to the citizens of India. Hence, the registration services for ABHA have been spread across multiple digital platforms. Some of them are listed below:

1. Official website: The official website of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is managed by National Health Authority (NHA) which is the nodal body for Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) as well as ABHA.

2. Other shared healthcare platforms: The government of India has also shared the service across multiple platforms. In case of any disruptions in accessing the official website of ABDM, one can also use shared healthcare platforms like Ekacare, Skincare, etc., to register for ABHA.

3. Registration desks: In case the user needs to become savvier with the computer and internet services, there are registration desks also located at various hospitals, clinics and dispensaries, which can be used to get assistance in registration for ABHA.

The basic documents required for registration for ABHA are Aadhar Card, Driver’s License and an operational Mobile number.

Why Is a Unique Health Id Card or ABHA Important?

Like Aadhar cards, ABHA also comes with a range of benefits that will make life more convenient for Indians. Some of the highlighted features and benefits of ABHA, the Health ID card are listed below:

• It comes with a random Unique 14-digit health identification number for each registration.
• It acts as a single source of healthcare information through integration with healthcare services and facilities across the healthcare ecosystem in India.
• The platform sources and share healthcare data after obtaining consent and assures data security and privacy.
• It works on the concept of opt-in and opt-out voluntarily
• With in-built platforms like Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) and e-prescription, the chances of errors become minimal.
• It works on inclusivity which gives access to everyone across the country
• It provides seamless access to various healthcare schemes, and one can avail of benefits based on suitability and eligibility.
• The data stored in the platform will also help the policymakers in making more effective and practical decisions toward Universal Health Coverage.

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How To Download ABHA Digital Health ID card?

Once the registration is complete, one needs to download the ABHA card. It is an easy process and can be done from different platforms, such as:

• Visit the official website of ABDM (as explained in the “How to register on ABHA?” section above) and log into your account. There you will be able to locate your ABHA ID card. You can download it to showcase the same at the healthcare facility you are visiting or planning to visit.
• The same can also be done by visiting ABHA mobile app and logging in to your account to download your unique health card.
• Suppose the above process is complicated to understand. You can visit healthcare facilities such as hospitals, clinics, dispensaries, community centers, or wellness centers and get your ABHA card downloaded using their assistance.

The Government of India introduced ABHA with the positive intention of making the life of a citizen easy who wants to know which facility he/she should visit for a particular healthcare concern and what benefits he/she can avail themselves of from a range of healthcare schemes made available by the government. With the kind of benefits ABHA comes with, it surely is expected to be a game changer in the concept of accessibility of healthcare facilities in India.