Examine the role of ABDM in furthering the goal of Universal Health Coverage in India.

Q. Examine the role of ABDM in furthering the goal of Universal Health Coverage in India. (15 marks, 250 words)

Universal Health Coverage (UHC), enshrined in SDG target 3.8, means all people accessing quality health services without financial hardship. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), launched in 2021 and run by the National Health Authority (NHA) [1], operationalises this goal by building India's digital public infrastructure for health.

How ABDM advances UHC - Access & equity: 93 crore ABHA accounts and 104 crore linked health records create portable, longitudinal medical histories; assisted and offline ABHA creation extends reach to low-connectivity areas [2]. - Quality of care: Interoperable registries (HPR, HFR) with a consent-based exchange (HIE-CM) improve clinical decisions; "Scan and Share" cut OPD waiting from ~1 hour to 2–5 minutes [2]. - Financial protection: The National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX) standardises and speeds insurance claims, complementing PM-JAY's coverage [2]. - Identity foundation: A 14-digit ABHA securely links citizens to the wider health system like Aadhaar [3], while NHA integrates ABDM with existing schemes within its ₹1,600 crore mandate [1].

Gaps limiting its UHC impact - Digital divide — device access, connectivity and literacy still constrain last-mile inclusion despite assisted onboarding [2]. - Privacy — sensitive health data demands robust consent enforcement and data-protection safeguards. - Uneven private-sector adoption persists despite the provider incentive scheme [2].

By digitising access, quality and claims, ABDM lays the rails for equitable, affordable healthcare. Anchoring it in the DPDP Act's privacy safeguards and closing the digital divide can transform this infrastructure into genuine UHC aligned with SDG 3.8.

(~249 words)

Sources: 1. Cabinet approves implementation of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission with a budget of Rs.1,600 crore for five years (PIB) — NHA as implementing agency; ₹1,600 crore budget; ABHA-linked longitudinal records 2. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission — PIB Backgrounder (2026) — 93 crore ABHA, 104 crore health records, Scan and Share, HIE-CM, NHCX, incentive scheme, assisted onboarding 3. Explainer on Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA) (PIB) — 14-digit ABHA as unique health identifier