Financial Express Online on Thursday organised the second edition of FE Digital Health Conclave. The first session included healthcare expert who discussed the scope and potential of India’s Digital Health ID Mission.
The session included eminent speakers like Dr. K Madan Gopal, senior consultant (health), Niti Aayog, Mr Dennis Curry, Deputy Resident, Representative, UNDP, and Ms Aparna, IAS, MD NHM, UP.
The session was Moderated by Prof (Dr) Rajib Dasgupta, Chairperson, CSMCH, JNU and Managing Editor, Indian Journal of Public Health.
“We have moved ahead to wellness…the blue print of the mission has all the aspects of healthcare. Simultaneously, lot other disscussion are underway to make it more comprehensive for the public.” Dr. K Madan Gopal, senior consultant (health), Niti Aayog said during the session.
“There are many partners and essentially NIT and MEITY along with other stakeholders,” he added.
On her experience of working in Uttar Pradesh, Aparna, IAS, MD NHM, UP highlighted various segments of digital health in the state.
“UP is a massive state. There are many challenges but mainly because of the urban-rural divide and the scale of the state…35-35 crore vaccination have been achieved in the stated which was seemed unachievable. We have facility applications…so UP has been doing a tremendous work in the Digital Mission…We are trying to convince people that they need to get their digital ID…We have created a huge digital ecosystem. We have been able to created digital infrastructure with 16,000 institutions….our healthcare professionals are digital geared up. We have Kavach…we are also doing focused campaign on routine immunisation. We have a huge database…out of which we are creating ABHA IDs…that’s a huge task that we have achieved,” She pointed out.
She also said that they have rolled out e-shushruta platform.
“…and in 6 months time we will be able to cover it…UP is the first state in this regard. At community, we are also implementing lot of programmes like Nikshay and health facility record. We are facing the issue of manpower shortage but we are trying to work on it by inculcating contractual employees. UP also came up with its own covid survillance app…I think UP is on the right path,” she added.
Meanwhile, Dennis Curry, Deputy Resident, Representative, UNDP pointed out that pandemic has accelrated the growth of digital health not just in India around the world.
“Before the pandemic, there was a lot of work…a high predictions about digital health. With the pandemic, the progress of digital health accelerated not just in India but globally. We have been a very previledged partner of India. It is notable that the leadership strength that India showed during the pandemic. In India decision taken to digitise the vaccination programme was commendable,” Curry said during the session.
Furthermore, Aparna highlighted that people are “suspicious” of technology.
“People are extremely suspicious of technology…not just in rural areas but also in urban areas. This is a practical problem that we are facing…and getting their support is a challenge. We need to understand that technology cuts in both ways. We need to educate people and get their consent…I think e-Kavach can be really helpful in tackling this challenge in rural regions. In urban areas creating ABHA IDs has been a challenge too,” she said.
FE Digital Health Summit included eminent speakers like Dr. R.S. Sharma, CEO, National Health Authority, Ministry Of Health & Family Welfare Government Of India, Anand K, Chief Executive Officer, SRL Diagnostics, Dr Arvind Lal, Executive Chairman, Dr Lal PathLabs Ltd, Prof. Dorairaj Prabhakaran, Distinguished Professor of Public Health and Director, Centre for Digital Health, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), Dr K Madan Gopal, Senior consultant (health), Niti Aayog, Ms Aparna U, IAS, MD NHM, Uttar Pradesh,
Mohd Yaman, Solution Consultant – Digital Media, Adobe, Prashant Tandon, CEO & Co-Founder, Tata 1 MG, Prof (Dr) Rajib Dasgupta, Chairperson, CSMCH, JNU and Managing Editor, Indian Journal of Public Health among others.
With Co-Partner mfine and Silver Partner Adobe, the Second Edition of FE Digital Health Conclave was held on 19th January, 2023 at Hyatt Regency, New Delhi.