Know Your Rights: How can you avail the benefits of Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA)? Read for details here

The Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) card is a digital health ID card introduced by the Government of India. The flagship Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) envisages a comprehensive digital health ecosystem for the country. More than four crore digital health records have been linked to ABHA accounts of individuals. Additionally, more than 29 crore citizens have generated their unique Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA).

Benefits of ABHA

• All medical information, including tests, diagnoses, medication prescriptions, and more are made available on a single online secure digital platform

• Medical records can be readily shared with hospitals, clinics, doctors, etc

• Access to the healthcare professional registry (HPR), which is a directory of all Indian physicians

• Access to the health facility registry (HFR), a directory of all Indian public and privatemedicalfacilities

• In addition to allopathy, AYUSH treatment institutions also accept this card. Ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, unani, siddha, and homoeopathy are among the treatments available.

Registering/applying for ABHA health ID card online

There are primarily two ways to register for an ABHA health ID card

Through Aadhaar

If your Aadhaar is linked to your cell phone number, you can use it to sign up for an ABHA health ID.

For OTP authentication, this is necessary. If your mobile number and Aadhaar are not linked, you can get help from an ABDM participating institution.

Through driving license

If you use your driving licence, the ABDM portal will provide you with an enrollment number.

Then, to have your identity validated, you must take your driver's licence to a nearby ABDM partner facility. Your ABHA health ID will be generated after that is finished.

ABHA health ID card can be availed online through

• https://healthid.ndhm.gov.in (official portal)

• ABHA mobile application

• Other third-party applications

Generating ABHA number

• Open the ABHA mobile app or go to the official NDHM website

• Select the 'go to create my ABHA number' tab

• Enter your PAN, Aadhaar, or driver's licence number

• An OTP that must be entered will be issued to the relevant registered mobilenumber

• Subsequently, you will be prompted to input your mobile number and will get an OTP to confirm it on your phone

• After the National Health Authority verifies your mobile number, a form page will load; you will have to fill out yourname, age, gender, email address and other personal information

• You can download your ABHA ID after submitting your answers. You can log in and use all the services provided by ABHA using those credentials.

(The writer is a Vile Parle-based social activist)

Published on: Monday, January 16, 2023, 09:03 AM IST