Health Minister JP Nadda launches Aarogya Setu 2.0, digital solution for clinics
New Delhi, June 29
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda on Tuesday launched Aarogya Setu 2.0 and a series of digital health initiatives aimed at strengthening India's Digital Public Infrastructure for health.
The Health Minister described the occasion as "a significant milestone in India's journey towards building a healthier nation through digital innovation".
"The revamped Aarogya Setu application will enable people of all age groups - from mothers and children to youth, the elderly and those living with chronic illnesses - to seamlessly access a wide range of health services," he said.
He stated that "under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has continuously expanded the scope of healthcare through transformative initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat, while strengthening linkages across primary, secondary and tertiary levels of care".
He said that the launch of these digital health initiatives marks another important step towards making healthcare more integrated, accessible and citizen-centric.
The digital initiatives launched include Aarogya Setu 2.0, Ayushman App, Ayushman Sarathi WhatsApp Chatbot, National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX), Insurance Plan FHIR Object Creator, e-Sushrut Clinic, Unified Health Interface (UHI), Drug Registry, Common LOINC Codes for India (CLCI) and Bharat Health Terminology Service (BHTS).
Those who attended the event included Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of AYUSH; Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare; and Dr. M. Srinivas, Member (Health), NITI Aayog.
Jadhav described the initiative as a significant step towards strengthening India's digital health ecosystem.
He highlighted that, under the leadership of PM Modi, the government has adopted a whole-of-government approach to integrate the AYUSH system with modern healthcare, creating a more holistic, patient-centric healthcare framework.
Anupriya Patel highlighted that digital health records will enable women to seamlessly access their medical information wherever they go, ensuring continuity of care.
She further stated that the initiative would also ease the administrative burden on frontline health workers, including ASHA and Anganwadi workers, thereby improving service delivery.
Nadda also launched the e-Sushrut@Clinic, a lightweight Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) developed by C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing), to address these challenges by providing a simple, affordable, and user-friendly digital solution tailored for small outpatient clinics.
It is proposed to open this HMIS for government PHCs, HWCs, Subcenters and private clinics. Currently, 800-plus health facilities are onboarded on eSushrut@Clinic, generating over 680 health records.
C-DAC is also implementing the eSushrut software, which is being installed at more than 15 AIIMS and in various State government hospitals. The National Health Authority (NHA), as part of its role in increasing the adoption of Digital Health and ABDM, is signing an MoU with C-DAC.
The cost of eSushrut@clinic is estimated at Rs 499/month for 5 users. Under the NHA MoU, a discount of Rs 200 will be given, bringing the effective rate to Rs 299/month. The software will be offered at no cost for the initial 3 months. Each additional user beyond the included 5-user limit will be charged at Rs 50 per user.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good to see India pushing digital health forward. I'm a researcher in public health and this integration of AYUSH with modern healthcare is genuinely innovative. The National Health Claims Exchange could reduce a lot of paperwork for patients. Hope they ensure data privacy though! 🔒
As an ASHA worker, I appreciate that they mentioned easing our burden. We run from village to village with paper records. But honestly, will there be proper training? Many of our workers struggle with smartphones. Also, internet connectivity in remote areas is still an issue. Let's see how it works on the ground. 🤷♀️
I've been using the original Aarogya Setu for my vaccination records. It's convenient. The WhatsApp chatbot is a smart move—everyone in India uses WhatsApp! My parents in their 60s will find that easier than an app. Rs 299 for clinics seems reasonable. Let's hope the execution matches the vision this time. 📱
Bharat Health Terminology Service and Common LOINC codes? Finally, we're standardizing health data! I work in health IT and this is huge for interoperability. But need to ensure small clinics aren't left behind. Free initial 3 months is good, but long-term sustainability matters. Also, what about data security for patient records? 🤔
Another app launch, another minister photo op. 🙄 The real test is whether this reaches the PHC in my village where the doctor still uses a register from 2015. Digital health is great, but first fix the crumbling infrastructure—shortage of doctors, medicines, and basic equipment. Without that, this is
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