Centre releases NHDM's Draft Health Data Management Policy for public consultation

New Delhi [India], Aug 27 : The National Health Authority (NHA) on Wednesday released the Draft Health Data Management Policy of the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) in the public domain. The draft of the policy has been released on the official website of NDHM, government officials said.
It will be available for public comments and feedback till September 3. The policy is in the draft stage and will be finalized after receiving suggestions from members of the general public.
Dr. Indu Bhushan, Chief Executive Officer, National Health Authority said, "The Draft Health Data Management Policy is the maiden step in realizing NDHM's guiding principle of "Security and Privacy by Design" for the protection of individuals' data privacy. It encompasses various aspects pertaining to health data like data privacy, consent management, data sharing and protection."
"One of the main objectives of this draft policy is to provide adequate guidance and to set out a framework for the secure processing of personal and sensitive personal data of individuals who are a part of the national digital health ecosystem in compliance with all applicable laws and international standards," he said.
Highlighting the significance of the policy and its potential impact, Dr. Bhushan added, "The Central government is working to ensure strong privacy of health data and therefore, we are circulating the Draft Health Data Management Policy of NDHM to increase awareness of the importance of data privacy and instil a privacy-oriented mindset among all the stakeholders and participants of the ecosystem. I look forward to feedback, suggestions, and inputs from experts and members of the general public to help us finalise the policy make it and hence, the implementation of the mission stronger and more effective."
The NDHM was announced on the occasion of the 74th Independence Day of India, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The vision of NDHM is to create a national digital health ecosystem which enables timely and efficient access to inclusive, affordable, and safe healthcare to all citizens. NDHM aims to significantly improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency of health services in India.