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.