Ayushman Bharat Health Account is a unique digital identity for Indian citizens. It is based on biometrics, digitized records and data. It allows citizens to access healthcare services in India through their mobile phone numbers. The account will help citizens to update their health records and access medical facilities such as dialysis centres, hospitals, etc.
After authenticating with the Aadhaar number, a user can log in by entering their name and mobile phone number, which will be used for authentication purposes only. Once authenticated, they can use any healthcare services Ayushman Bharat Health Account provides, like getting a health insurance policy or applying for a health insurance plan.
Understanding ABHA
ABHA is a health ID that uses a 14-digit identification number and enables the sharing of medical data electronically with verified third parties. Prime Minister Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat digital health mission on 27th September 2021. The digital health ID that is to be provided by the mission aims to make it for every Indian citizen. Above all, the good part is that the citizens can have their unique ABHA free of cost.
Worthiness of ABHA
Appended are the benefits of ABHA:
- Access your medical records from anywhere for a lifetime, whether it be diagnoses, lab reports or medical prescriptions.
- Share your medical records with doctors, hospitals and insurance agencies swiftly.
- No geographical barriers, which means no matter in which city or state you are, you can access and share your medical records quickly.
- Individuals with a health ID card can check the details of doctors and their qualifications through the Healthcare Professional Registry (HPR).
- A health ID card also facilitates you to check public and private healthcare facilities across the country with the help of a Health Facility Registry (HFR).
- The card is valid for all Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) healthcare services.
- Your explicit and informed consent is required before access to your health information is granted. If necessary, you can control and cancel consent.
- Available via supported techniques to users of smartphones, feature phones, and even no phones.
Pitfalls of ABHA
- Health information is very private and prone to abuse. Data in the central depository is vulnerable to theft and sale to anyone, including spammers and forgers.
- Although ABHA is now optional, it is probable that it could eventually become a requirement for using certain services, following in the footsteps of Aadhaar. This will result in the exclusion of a sizeable portion of the population.
- Smartphone use is much less common in India, where cell coverage is low. The rural and underprivileged will not benefit from the advantages of digitalization.
Is the Health ID card and Ayushman Bharat card the same?
Ayushman Bharat card and Health ID card are an initiative of the government to improve the country’s healthcare facilities. Now, let us understand how they are different from each other.
- Individuals of the lower-income group can obtain an Ayushman Bharat card, whereas individuals from any income group can create a Health ID card.
- Ayushman Bharat card allows people from the lower-income group to avail coverage of their treatments. At the same time, the Health ID card helps keep your health records securely on a single platform which can be accessed from anywhere.
Applying for ABHA
Do you wish to apply for ABHA? You can generate your health ID using your mobile number, Aadhaar card or driving licence. Let us explore the steps to generate your health ID using your Aadhaar card.
- To initiate the process, visit the official website of ABHA at: https://healthid.ndhm.gov.in/.
- Click on the button “Create ABHA number.”
- The following window will give you two options for creating your ABHA number: “Using Aadhaar” and a “Using Driving Licence.”
- Your mobile number should be linked to your Aadhaar card to complete the OTP authentication.
- Feed your Aadhaar number in the text box displayed on the next screen.
- Scroll down and tick the check box “I agree.” Also, authenticate the input by validating the captcha and clicking the “Next” button.
- You will receive the OTP on your registered mobile. Enter the OTP in the text box and click submit.
- On the next page, enter your mobile number and click submit.
- The next screen will display all the details about you fetched through your Aadhaar card.
- Carefully check the displayed details and click submit.
- You can create your ABHA address similar to your email ID.
- Once all the steps described above are successfully completed, you can download your ABHA card.
Wrap up
The Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Account (Health ID) would establish a secure, streamlined, and private online platform that will safeguard the privacy and security of personal health information. Additionally, the government hopes to significantly improve the standard of healthcare in India by reducing the likelihood of avoidable medical blunders.
