In a first in UP, Phulpur CHC generates online ABHA number

PRAYAGRAJ: In a first, Phulpur Community Health Centre (CHC) of Prayagraj has become the first CHC of the state to generate ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) number via online scan and share module for registration of patients under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
The ABHA numbers (a 14-digit unique health ID) can be generated using an Aadhaar card or mobile number and allows users to share their health records digitally with hospitals, clinics, insurance providers and others. Nodal officer (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, Prayagraj) Dr Utsav Singh told TOI: "ABHA numbers are created for all citizens of the country to keep health records in digital form. It will replace manual records and can be accessed anywhere through mobiles in future."
Singh added that "If a patient gets transferred from one hospital to another, these records play a beneficial role for further treatment accordingly. This is a step towards creating digital health infrastructure, making medical coverage more accessible, and providing a next step in digitizing healthcare records."
In Prayagraj, over 50,000 ABHA cards have been created, and camps are being organized to create awareness. People who don't have their mobile numbers linked with their Aadhaar card can also avail ABHA number through the new initiative by using biometric devices. Earlier, ABHA card generation facility was available at four district hospitals of the city including TB Sapru (Beli), District women hospital (Dufferin), MLN Divisional hospital (Colvin) and SRN hospital (MLN medical college). However, with addition of Phulpur CHC, the facility has now available at five health units.
Singh said: "The ABHA number will be used for the purposes of distinctively identifying persons, authenticating them, and threading their health records (only with the consent of the patient) across multiple systems and stakeholders." He further said: "A Personal Health Record (PHR) application enables a user to provide consent for sharing and linking their personal health records with various healthcare providers. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission has rolled out its own PHR application called ABHA Health records Application through which patients can maintain and manage their health records."
Singh said the Union government is also compiling online data of all medical and para medical staff (both government and private) under the Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) as it is a comprehensive repository of all healthcare professionals involved in delivery of healthcare services across both modern and traditional systems of medicine.
Moreover, Health Facility Registry (HFR) is also a comprehensive storehouse of health facilities of the country across different systems of medicine, including both public and private health facilities like hospitals, clinics, diagnostic laboratories and imaging centres and pharmacies, etc.