NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilisers, JP Nadda, on Friday inaugurated Aarogya Manthan 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, marking eight years of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and five years of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
According to the Health Ministry, organised by the National Health Authority (NHA), the event brought together senior government officials, healthcare providers, insurers, technology and digital health experts, academia, development partners and other stakeholders to deliberate on the progress of India’s health assurance and digital health ecosystem and the priorities for its next phase.
Addressing the gathering, Nadda congratulated all stakeholders on the completion of eight years of AB PM-JAY and five years of ABDM. He said that these milestones provide an opportunity to take stock of the progress made and renew the commitment towards the welfare of the poor and marginalised sections of society, in line with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas.”
Nadda highlighted the significant expansion of AB PM-JAY since its inception and said that the scheme has emerged as the world’s largest health assurance programme, with more than 60 crore beneficiaries covered and over 13 crore hospital admissions facilitated, involving treatment worth more than Rs 2 lakh crore.
He noted that the Government further expanded the scheme to cover all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status, bringing them within its ambit. He also highlighted the importance of portability under the scheme, particularly for migrant workers, and appreciated the contribution of State Governments, healthcare institutions and other stakeholders in taking the programme forward.
The Union Minister said that the journey of AB PM-JAY and ABDM has demonstrated the transformative role of technology in healthcare, with digital systems supporting authentication, authorisation and access to treatment across locations. Highlighting the progress under ABDM, he said that more than 97.8 crore ABHAs have been created, with over 121 crore health records linked, while more than 5.6 lakh health facilities and around 11 lakh healthcare professionals are registered on the ABDM ecosystem. He also highlighted the development of the National Health Claims Exchange, which seeks to bring hospitals and insurers onto a common digital platform.
Referring to the initiatives launched at Aarogya Manthan 2026, Nadda said that these would further strengthen digital healthcare, facilitate the secure use of health data and create new opportunities for health research, innovation and data-driven decision-making. He appreciated the National Health Authority and acknowledged the role of State Governments, healthcare professionals, empanelled hospitals, Ayushman Mitras, ASHA and Anganwadi workers, technology partners and other stakeholders.
According to the ministry, Nadda emphasised that the journey must continue and called for sustained efforts to leverage digital technology to make healthcare more accessible, efficient and patient-centric. He expressed confidence that the deliberations at Aarogya Manthan 2026 would generate actionable outcomes and contribute further towards strengthening India’s health ecosystem and serving humanity.
