Odisha is preparing to join the national Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) ecosystem in full, with Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling confirming during a recent departmental review that implementation is now imminent. The minister stated that the state has completed necessary groundwork including infrastructure assessments, staff training, and system integrations and will soon begin issuing Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA) at scale while connecting public health facilities to the national digital health network.

The rollout will prioritise digitisation of core services such as OPD registration through Scan & Share QR codes, issuance of e-prescriptions, sharing of lab and imaging reports, and seamless telemedicine consultations via eSanjeevani. These tools are expected to significantly reduce patient waiting times, eliminate the need for repeated diagnostic tests, and ensure that health records remain portable and accessible across different facilities with patient consent.

Minister Mahaling emphasised that Odisha’s large rural and tribal population makes digital health particularly important for bridging access gaps. “Many of our people travel long distances for basic follow-up care. ABDM will bring continuity and convenience to their doorstep through digital records and virtual consultations,” he said. The state has already piloted elements of ABDM in select districts and is now scaling up training for frontline health workers, medical officers, and administrative staff to ensure smooth adoption.

The initiative aligns with Odisha’s broader health reforms, including the expansion of eSanjeevani hubs, strengthening of Ayushman Bharat services, and integration of digital tools in new medical colleges and district hospitals. Officials expect the first phase of large-scale ABHA creation and facility onboarding to begin within the next few months, with full statewide coverage targeted over the coming year.

This move positions Odisha to join leading states such as Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh in achieving high levels of ABDM adoption. With over 420 million ABHA IDs already issued nationally, Odisha’s entry will further strengthen the mission’s goal of creating a unified, interoperable digital health ecosystem for 1.4 billion Indians.