National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) launched by the government in 2021 will provide every citizen with a unique digital health ID with the objective to create a database of digitized health records. This way medical records can be easily and seamlessly accessed by patients and different healthcare providers.
However, the problem with this program is its attempt to outsource healthcare services to private healthcare providers and insurance companies. The government is using the large health data pool as an incentive to invite private players to partake in the scheme, essentially withdrawing itself from the crucial public service. Even during the implementation of the PMJAY scheme, the government offered people to access health services in both govt. and private hospitals, but the scheme was heavily dependent on private hospitals due to inadequate facilities at public hospitals. Eventually, not many private hospitals came on board because of non-competitive rates and the delayed insurance payments. Hence, the government’s role in better public health is indispensable.