Digital health is a great equaliser and enabler to support Universal Health Coverage: Dr Mansukh Mandaviya

At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, the Union Health Minister delivered the opening remarks for “Unlocking the Power of Digital Health” and “Closing Vaccines Gap” Sessions

At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos at Congress Centre, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya exhorted India’s commitment to strengthen the Digital Health System and in closing the vaccine gap.

Underscoring the need to strengthen Equitable Vaccine Manufacturing Collaborative (EVMC), the Union Minister envisaged, “Digital health is a great equaliser and enabler to support Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goals and can help ensure accessibility and affordability of health service delivery.”

At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, the Union Health Minister delivered the opening remarks for “Unlocking the Power of Digital Health” and “Closing Vaccines Gap” Sessions.

He said, “With prime focus on moving from siloed to an ecosystem approach for digital health, India is creating a national framework for digital health in India. Under Ayushman Bharat (Long Live India) Digital Mission, India has embarked on digital transformation of healthcare in India. The focus is on creation of a longitudinal Electronic Health Record for more than 1.3 billion people of India. We have already issued more than 220 million Unique Health IDs along with health facilities and provider registry. India has already utilised digital health interventions for its national program management. Reproductive & Child Healthcare IT platform tracks more than 120 million pregnant women for their ANC, PNC check-up, delivery planning and over 90 million children for immunization. Health Management Information system regularly collates data regarding health programmes from more than 200,000 health facilities.”

“CoWIN platform monitors name-based vaccination and has monitored administration of more than 1.92 billion vaccination doses, including beneficiary registration, AEFI monitoring and a QR code based digital digital certificate. India has promoted digital health agenda at global level as Chair in Global Digital Health Partnership. It was India which had moved the Digital Health Resolution in WHO to prioritise the global framework for digital health. We have offered Co-WIN as a digital public good to other countries to aid their vaccination efforts, aligned with India’s commitment to the traditional philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” i.e. The World Is One Family. Digital health interventions can help penetrate health service delivery till the last mile ensuring equitable healthcare service delivery. With technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Cloud computing, 5G, nanotech, we need to create a tech supported healthcare service delivery which is resilient, reliable, and accessible till the last mile”, he added.