Union Health Minister Unveils New Digital Health Initiatives

These include the NHPR Mobile App, NHCX Implementation Guide for Payers, Guidebook for a Model Digital Health Facility, SDE application, and Framework for Auto-Adjudication of Claims under AB PM-JAY.

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda has launched several digital health and health-assurance initiatives at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, as part of Arogya Manthan 2026.

The initiatives introduced by the National Health Authority (NHA) aim to strengthen the use of digital infrastructure and health data, enable interoperability, and support technology-enabled processes across India’s healthcare and health-assurance ecosystem.

These include the National Healthcare Providers Registry (NHPR) Mobile App, NHCX Implementation Guide for Payers, Guidebook for a Model Digital Health Facility, Secure Data Environment (SDE) application, and Framework for Auto-Adjudication of Claims under AB PM-JAY.

The NHPR Mobile App is a key initiative introduced as part of the digital health ecosystem designed to enable registration of healthcare professionals and healthcare facilities through a mobile-based app.

Among the key initiatives is the Secure Data Environment, developed by NHA with the support of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.

The platform is designed as a governed environment for access to and analysis of AB PM-JAY and ABDM health data.

Under the proposed framework, approved entities will be able to work with de-identified datasets or execute code within an isolated NHA environment. Outputs generated through the environment will be reviewed before release. The platform also seeks to support startups and advance healthcare innovations.

The initiative is intended to expand health research, programme planning, outcome analysis and responsible AI innovation while incorporating safeguards for personal data.

The NHA has also launched an NHCX Implementation Guide for Payers, aimed at supporting the implementation of the National Health Claims Exchange and standardising technology-enabled health insurance processes.

Further, the Guidebook for a Model Digital Health Facility seeks to provide a framework for implementing digital health systems and practices across healthcare facilities.

The Union Health Minister also unveiled the Framework for Auto-Adjudication of Claims under AB PM-JAY, designed to support technology-enabled approaches to claims processing under the government health assurance scheme

The latest initiative builds on existing digital health infrastructure under ABDM, including Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA), Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR), and Health Facility Registry (HFR).

As of September 2026, more than 97.8 crore ABHAs have been created, and over 121 crore health records have been linked. More than 5.6 lakh health facilities and 11 lakh healthcare professionals are registered on the ABDM ecosystem.

It also forms a part of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), extending the use of digital systems for health assurance, claims processing and data-enabled healthcare delivery, with the scheme providing health cover of up to INR 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.

Over the years, the scheme has expanded its reach across the country, with more than 60 crore beneficiaries covered under the scheme. It has also facilitated more than 13 crore hospital admissions, involving treatment worth over INR 2 lakh Crore.

ABDM, launched in September 2021, complements the health-assurance framework by establishing digital infrastructure for a connected and interoperable healthcare ecosystem.

The latest launch forms a part of Arogya Manthan 2026 organised by NHA to review progress under India’s health-assurance and digital health programmes and discuss priorities for the next phase.

As per reports, the programme marks eight years of AB PM-JAY and five years of ABDM.

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