The National Health Authority (NHA), in collaboration with the Directorate of Health & Family Welfare, Nagaland, organized a one-day State-Level Inaugural Workshop Programme for the "Model District & Model Facilities Initiative" under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) at Zone Niathu by The Park, Chumoukedima, on June 18, 2026.
Officially launching the Model District initiative, Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Authority (NHA), Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal, IAS, in his speech, thanked the Department of Health & Family Welfare for organising the workshop and said that the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) was aimed at transforming healthcare delivery through a citizen-centric and digitally connected ecosystem.
He observed that healthcare services in the country had traditionally functioned through fragmented systems and said ABDM provided an opportunity to integrate healthcare facilities, healthcare professionals and patients through a consent-based digital platform. He said that the initiative was not only about treatment but also about promoting preventive healthcare and wellness through evidence-based planning and use of health data.
Highlighting the importance of the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA), Dr. Barnwal said the unique digital health identity would enable citizens to securely access and manage their health records while ensuring continuity of care across different healthcare facilities. He stated that ABDM would empower patients by giving them greater control over their health information and facilitate seamless access to healthcare services.
Referring to the Health Facility Registry (HFR) and Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR), he said the digital registries would help citizens locate verified healthcare facilities and healthcare professionals across the country while enhancing transparency and accessibility within the healthcare system.
Dr. Barnwal further stressed the need for healthcare institutions to transition from paper-based systems to end-to-end digital systems. He said digital registration and billing alone were insufficient and called upon healthcare facilities to fully integrate clinical records and service delivery systems with ABDM. He added that successful implementation would require both technological adoption and a change of mindset.
Stressing the importance of digital health data, he said the availability of quality digital records would support better planning, informed decision-making and the development of innovative technology-driven healthcare solutions in the future. He also urged all empanelled hospitals under AB-PMJAY and CMHIS to adopt complete digital processes and become part of the national digital health ecosystem. Dr. Barnwal called upon all stakeholders to work collectively towards creating a robust, transparent and patient-centric healthcare system in Nagaland.
Delivering the welcome address, Principal Director, Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Mereninla Senlem, described the occasion as an important landmark in Nagaland's digital health journey and reaffirmed the Department's commitment to building a more connected, efficient and patient-centric healthcare system through ABDM. She said the selection of Dimapur as the Model District and District Hospital Dimapur as the Model Public Health Facility presented an opportunity to demonstrate how digital health solutions could strengthen healthcare delivery, improve continuity of care and enhance health outcomes. She further emphasized that the success of the initiative would depend on the collective efforts of healthcare providers, administrators and technical partners. She stated that the workshop provided a valuable platform for participants to learn, collaborate and chart the way forward for successful implementation of the Model District initiative and urged all the stakeholders to actively participate in the workshop and to share their experiences, perspectives and ideas to strengthen the implementation process and achieve the common objectives.
Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur, Dr. Tinojongshi Chang, NCS, stated that the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission was harnessing digital transformation to make healthcare services more accessible, transparent and patient-friendly. He thanked the organizers for selecting Dimapur as the Model District and described it as a recognition of the collaborative efforts of the Health Department, healthcare workers and other stakeholders. He called upon healthcare professionals to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring that quality healthcare services reached the grassroots and that every citizen benefited from the initiative. Assuring the district administration's full support, he reaffirmed its commitment towards the successful implementation of the programme and thanked the National Health Authority and the Department of Health & Family Welfare for bringing the initiative to the State.
The inaugural function concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Nyanthung Kikon, SNO, ABDM Nagaland. The programme aimed to support the transition of healthcare institutions from conventional administrative systems to a secure, integrated and paperless digital healthcare ecosystem. The inaugural session was followed by technical sessions on the objectives of the Model District Initiative, implementation of NextGen e-Hospital, District Health Information System (DHIS), stakeholder responsibilities, support requirements and strategies for accelerating digital health adoption across the State.
(Samuel, IA Chumoukedima)
