New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) The flagship Ayushman Bharat scheme has benefited over 45 crore citizens in the country, according to the National Health Authority’s (NHA) annual report.

The report, released at a two-day national review meeting held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, highlighted key achievements, innovations, and progress of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). It also showcased the impact of these flagship initiatives in strengthening India’s healthcare delivery.

“This review marks a pivotal moment in our journey to deepen digital health integration and ensure equitable access to quality healthcare for all. Ayushman Bharat, with its four strong pillars, has benefited over 45 crore people,” said Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal (IAS), CEO of the National Health Authority.

“To accelerate progress, leadership of State & UT Health Authorities in digital integration and innovation will be key to making it the world’s largest transformative health scheme,” Barnwal added.

The Annual Report 2024-25 highlighted that the schemes led to a massive expansion of health coverage. Over 9.19 crore hospital admissions facilitated under AB PM-JAY with treatment worth Rs 1,29,386 crore.

More than 30,000 hospitals (55 per cent public and 45 per cent private) are empanelled under the scheme, ensuring nationwide accessibility. A whopping 82 per cent of beneficiaries belonged to rural areas.

Over 40.45 crore Ayushman cards were issued, covering 14.69 crore families.

Further, the ABDM drove digital health transformation in the country, the report said, citing 76.5 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA), which linked 51.3 crore health records, covering 6 in 10 Indians.

The ABHA App Version 3, launched in 13 languages, has over 1.57 crore downloads and 2-3 lakh tokens generated daily, which shows strong public adoption. The features include a user-centric design, scan and share, and scan and pay modules — simplifying OPD registration and payments.

Notably, with strengthened call centre and digital grievance redressal systems, the mission achieved a 96 per cent grievance resolution rate, while the beneficiary satisfaction stands at 95 per cent, with 98 per cent positive experience under PM-JAY and 87 per cent average call quality score.

“Digital public infrastructure in healthcare is not just a tool — it’s a transformation. The ABDM Index will be a key enabler of accountability and innovation,” said Kiran Gopal Vaska (IAS), JS and Mission Director, ABDM, while highlighting the role of States/UTs in driving digital health innovation and integration for an efficient health ecosystem.

“Care coordination is the bridge between data and dignity ABDM’s integration with PM-JAY is a game-changer,” Vaska said.

–IANS

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