Financial Express Online on Thursday organised the second version of FE Digital Health Conclave. The first session included healthcare skilled who mentioned the scope and potential of India’s Digital Health ID Mission.

The session included eminent audio system like Dr. Ok Madan Gopal, senior advisor (well being), 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. Ok Madan Gopal, senior advisor (well being), Niti Aayog stated in the course of the session.

“There are many partners and essentially NIT and MEITY along with other stakeholders,” he added.

On her expertise of working in Uttar Pradesh, Aparna, IAS, MD NHM, UP highlighted varied segments of digital well being within 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 identified.

She additionally stated that they’ve 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 identified that pandemic has accelrated the expansion of digital well being not simply in India all over 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 stated in the course of the session.

Furthermore, Aparna highlighted that persons are “suspicious” of expertise.

“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 stated.

FE Digital Health Summit included eminent audio system like Dr. R.S. Sharma, CEO, National Health Authority, Ministry Of Health & Family Welfare Government Of India, Anand Ok, 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 Ok Madan Gopal, Senior advisor (well being), 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 amongst others.

With Co-Partner mfine and Silver Partner Adobe, the Second Edition of FE Digital Health Conclave was held on nineteenth January, 2023 at Hyatt Regency, New Delhi.