by Faiqa Masoodi
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has achieved a major milestone in its journey toward digital healthcare, becoming one of the first regions in the country to register 100 per cent of its public health facilities under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). The Union Territory has also successfully linked more than 20.58 lakh health records to citizens’ Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) IDs, setting a national example in digital public health delivery.
The development was reviewed on Monday in a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, who appreciated the Department of Health and Medical Education for its rapid adoption of ABDM tools and its integration of digital systems across primary, secondary, and tertiary care. Dulloo emphasised that this transition is more than just a technical shift—it marks a decisive move toward paperless, patient-centric care that empowers both citizens and healthcare professionals.
According to officials, the integration of the JK e-Sahaj Health Management Information System (HMIS) with ABDM has allowed over 11.61 lakh citizens to generate ABHA IDs linked directly to their medical records. These digital records can now be accessed by patients and healthcare providers through secure, consent-based digital platforms, reducing the need to carry paper files and enabling seamless treatment across facilities.
The meeting also highlighted the growing use of “Scan & Share” services in hospitals, where patients use QR codes to generate instant OPD tokens. This service, now active in 102 government hospitals, has significantly reduced waiting times. More than 71 lakh digital OPD tokens have been issued across Jammu and Kashmir so far, placing the region among the top five in India in terms of adoption.
Officials reported that under the Digital Health Incentive Scheme (DHIS), a total of Rs 4.57 crore has been disbursed to 55 high-performing facilities. Government Medical Colleges in Kathua and Rajouri, along with District Hospital Pulwama, have been designated as model ABDM facilities due to their consistent use of ABDM-enabled HMIS and Scan & Share services.
However, the meeting also brought attention to persistent challenges. Infrastructure gaps remain a hurdle, particularly in terms of devices, routers, and the availability of dedicated digital health coordinators in larger hospitals. Another concern flagged was the incomplete registration of health professionals under the Health Professional Registry (HPR), where 87 percent of eligible public-sector doctors have been registered. Inaccuracies related to transfers and pending approvals from facility managers were cited as key reasons for the delay.
Additionally, nearly Rs 3.02 crore in DHIS payouts remain pending due to delays in the submission of Utilisation Certificates by health institutions. The Chief Secretary directed the concerned departments to expedite these processes and streamline financial documentation to ensure timely disbursals.
Dulloo further directed that Scan & Share must be universally implemented across all government hospitals at the earliest. He called for better manpower rationalisation to support data entry and technical operations and instructed officials to seek professional assistance from the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) to fast-track the digitisation drive.
During the meeting, Health and Medical Education Secretary Dr Shah provided a detailed account of progress made, noting that 104 out of 105 major government health facilities are now fully integrated with the JK e-Sahaj portal. He said the department is already working to integrate diagnostic and radiology reports with ABHA-linked records to ensure greater continuity of care.
Managing Director of ABDM, Anant Dwivedi, underscored the mission’s core pillars—ABHA ID generation, HFR saturation, and HPR mapping—and said Jammu and Kashmir is making tangible progress in all three. According to the latest data, 94.49 lakh ABHA IDs have been generated so far, covering nearly 70 per cent of the target population.
The Chief Secretary concluded the meeting by lauding the department’s achievements while calling for sustained efforts to complete remaining targets, particularly in institutions such as SKIMS Soura, SKIMS Bemina, and GMC Jammu. He stressed that the momentum gained must now translate into full digital inclusion of all citizens in the health ecosystem by the October 2025 deadline.
With the integration of ABDM into daily hospital functioning, the government believes that J&K is laying the foundation for a healthcare system that is transparent, efficient, and fully portable across the country. For a region that has often faced healthcare access challenges due to geography and infrastructure, the success of ABDM offers a promising blueprint for equitable digital health across India.
