The government of Telangana, under the leadership of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, has embarked on a significant move towards digital transformation in healthcare. The decision to study the policy of France to issue digital health cards to citizens was made during a review meeting. The Chief Minister emphasized the need for adopting the best policy for issuing digital health cards, as practiced in France, after learning about its success during his recent foreign visit.
The Telangana government has decided to conduct another round of the 'Praja Palana' programme from September 17 to issue new ration cards and health cards to all eligible citizens. The health cards will be issued separately as the government has decided to delink them from ration cards. The health cards to be issued by the state government will only be considered for providing medical treatment under Rajiv Arogyasri and also the assistance extended from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF).
The Chief Minister has ordered the officials to collect the details of every family during the 10-day programme and make necessary arrangements to organize the praja palana in all villages and wards across the state. The review meeting was attended by state Health Minister Damodara Raja Narsimha, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari, Principal Secretary of Health Department Dr. Christina Chongtoo, Principal Secretary of Municipal Department Dana Kishore and Principal Secretary to CM Seshadri.
Revanth Reddy directed the health officials to be vigilant in view of increasing cases of seasonal diseases and expressed concern over rising Dengue, Chikungunya and other viral fever cases in the state. The officials have been asked to take appropriate preventive measures before the spread of diseases. The Chief Minister asked the officials to intensify fogging and spraying to eradicate the mosquito menace in all towns and villages along with Greater Hyderabad. He warned that the employees who are indifferent to protecting public health will be suspended from the services.
He also ordered the officials under the GHMC jurisdiction, Medical and Health officials and the district collector to work in tandem to curb seasonal diseases. He asked them to seek the help of police, voluntary organizations and media to educate people about seasonal diseases. Collectors and Panchayat Raj officials in all districts were directed to take up a special drive to prevent the spread of seasonal diseases immediately. Collectors are advised to make field visits in all villages and towns to ascertain the situation from time to time.
The move to study the France model for issuing digital health cards is a significant step towards improving the healthcare system in Telangana. The digital health cards could potentially streamline patient records, making it easier for healthcare providers to access medical histories, leading to better-informed treatment decisions. By delinking health cards from ration cards, the system aims to ensure that healthcare services are more accessible to a wider population, including those who may not qualify for certain welfare programs. The digital health card system aims to modernize healthcare delivery, making it more efficient, equitable, and responsive to the needs of the population.
While these actions are not directly tied to the digital health card initiative, the digital health cards could potentially support these efforts by enabling faster access to medical records, facilitating the tracking of outbreaks, and ensuring that citizens receive timely notifications and information about disease prevention and treatment, once the system is in place. The digital infrastructure could enhance the government's ability to respond to public health emergencies by providing real-time data on disease patterns and patient health status.
