NHA Concludes National Review Meeting on Health Reforms

NHA Concludes National Review Meeting on AB PM-JAY and ABDM Implementation

The National Health Authority (NHA) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare concluded a two-day National Review Meeting (Chintan Shivir) on Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) held on 17–18 July 2026 at Madhya Pradesh Bhawan, New Delhi. The meeting brought together senior officials from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, National Health Authority, State Health Agencies, development partners, and other stakeholders to review progress, deliberate on implementation priorities, showcase best practices, and chart the roadmap for India's next phase of health sector reforms.

Recognition of State and UT Performance

The meeting recognized outstanding performance through 15 awards across key implementation indicators. Under AB PM-JAY, six awards were presented: Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, and Lakshadweep received honors for achieving the highest number of VVS Cards per lakh population in Large State, Small State, and Union Territory categories respectively. Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands were honored for recording the highest number of pre-authorizations with biometric authentication in their respective categories.

Under ABDM, nine awards were presented across four categories: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Ladakh, and Lakshadweep achieved ABDM Registry (HPR & HFR) Saturation. Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh were honored for highest health record linking per lakh population in Medium State/UT and Small State/UT categories respectively. Uttar Pradesh received recognition for outstanding performance in ABHA creation and adoption of Scan and Pay services.

Strategic Focus Areas and Deliberations

Union Health Secretary Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava emphasized that AB PM-JAY and ABDM have emerged as integral pillars of India's healthcare ecosystem, with focus now shifting to wider adoption and effective utilization across the health system. She highlighted the importance of data privacy, cybersecurity, and responsible use of health data to sustain public trust.

Financial sustainability discussions centered on strengthening fund utilization, improving financial planning, and ensuring timely release and utilization of grants by States and UTs. Participants deliberated on revised grant-in-aid guidelines, fund management practices, and measures to enhance financial accountability for both flagship schemes.

State-specific initiatives were showcased, with Kerala presenting its integrated approach towards convergence of state health protection programs with AB PM-JAY. Tamil Nadu shared its experience in claim revenue utilization under the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS) and its integration with AB PM-JAY, demonstrating systematic reinvestment of claim revenues to strengthen public health institutions through infrastructure, medical equipment, human resources, and digital systems investments.

Digital Transformation and Technology Integration

The Health Analytics and AI Unit of NHA showcased advanced analytical tools for evidence-based decision-making, including new frameworks for beneficiary portability, district-level accessibility, hospital activity, and healthcare utilization. The meeting discussed innovative financing of hospital receivables through the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX), which facilitates settlement of approved AB PM-JAY claims and enables faster access to working capital for empaneled hospitals.

Dr. Raghav Langer, Secretary of National Medical Commission, shared ongoing efforts towards ABDM enablement across medical colleges, including integration of Hospital Management Information Systems with ABDM standards, wider adoption of ABHA-linked clinical records, and development of an NMC dashboard for technology-enabled assessment of medical colleges through digital health indicators and clinical workload data.

Sarvam AI showcased emerging AI-enabled solutions for clinical decision support, operational efficiency, health system planning, and citizen-centric healthcare delivery. Participants emphasized responsible, safe, and scalable adoption of AI technologies to strengthen India's digital health ecosystem.

Conclusion and Way Forward

Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal, CEO of National Health Authority, characterized the meeting as a two-way exchange of ideas enabling States and Centre to learn from each other and collectively strengthen implementation. The meeting concluded with renewed commitment to collaborative governance, digital innovation, financial sustainability, and evidence-based policymaking. The outcomes are expected to guide the next phase of reforms aimed at expanding equitable, affordable, and digitally enabled healthcare across India.