Conducted by Gandhi Medical College , Hamidia Hospital , and ICMR , the research surveyed 5,709 people and found 97% remain outside the ABHA ecosystem .
Published on ResearchGate as “Bridging the Healthcare Gap” , the study highlights two critical barriers: 16.6% lack mobile phones and 8.2% don’t even have Aadhaar cards – both mandatory for ABHA registration. This digital divide is stalling the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) , designed to store medical records via a 14-digit ABHA number .
Surprisingly, rural areas outperform urban centers , with 3.4% ABHA adoption vs. 2.3% in cities . Researchers attribute this to stronger government health program integration in villages, where local ASHA workers push registrations.
Key Challenges in ABHA Implementation
- Rural : Poor network, no smartphones, low digital literacy
- Urban : Tech access exists, but awareness and interest are missing
“Excellent intent, weak execution,” researchers noted, urging dual focus on infrastructure and awareness .
Recommendations to Boost ABHA Registration
1. Link Aadhaar-mobile in rural pockets
2. Engage panchayats and urban bodies for campaigns
3. Use schools/colleges to target youth
4. Deploy health volunteers for doorstep ABHA sign-ups
As Ayushman Bharat aims for universal health coverage, Madhya Pradesh’s low uptake signals urgent need for digital literacy drives and Aadhaar-mobile seeding . Without bridging this gap, millions risk exclusion from seamless healthcare access.
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