The Union Health Ministry has mandated linking of Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiaries ID with Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) ID by April 30, 2024. While this has raised several questions about possible leaking of health data the Ministry has maintained that protocols for anonymisation and aggregation of data and use of such data will be defined after extensive stakeholder consultations.
“After that, anonymous records can be used by the government to make policies and other relevant interventions in the interests of the public. Till this is done, health records will not be used by the government,” it said.
The move to link CGHS-ID with ABHA-ID according to the Ministry is aimed at creating a digital health identification of the beneficiaries and store their digital health records. The Ministry has also clarified that ABHA does not mean the eligibility of a person for a particular scheme including AB-PMJAY.
