JP Nadda reviews RML Hospital Delhi, pushes digital health and mental wellness
Synopsis
Health Minister JP Nadda visited RML Hospital in New Delhi on 23 October, directing faster digital health adoption under ABDM, e-prescription rollout, and mental health support for staff and students. The hospital logged 19.4 lakh outpatient visits and over 96,600 procedures in 2025, signalling a growing patient load that makes these reforms increasingly urgent.
Key Takeaways
Health Minister J.P.
Nadda reviewed ABVIMS and RML Hospital , New Delhi, on 23 October 2026 .
He directed accelerated implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) , including e-prescriptions and digital health services.
RML Hospital recorded 19.4 lakh outpatient visits , over 82,500 inpatient admissions , and more than 96,600 surgeries in 2025 .
The Minister called for mental health support for students and faculty, and encouraged implementation of Project SARATHI .
Activities under Special Campaign 6 — focused on cleanliness, pendency reduction, and record management — were also reviewed.
The hospital operates 30 clinical and 8 pre-clinical/para-clinical departments .
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda on Friday, 23 October 2026, conducted a comprehensive review of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences (ABVIMS) and Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital in New Delhi, assessing patient care quality, specialised service delivery, and ongoing infrastructure development. The review underscores the Centre's continued focus on strengthening public healthcare capacity at one of Delhi's flagship government hospitals.
Key Directives from the Minister
Addressing the review meeting, Nadda stressed the importance of benchmarking against leading medical institutions while planning major healthcare infrastructure upgrades. He called for accelerated adoption of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) at RML Hospital, including full ABDM compliance, wider rollout of e-prescriptions, and broader use of digital health services to streamline patient care and service delivery.
Notably, the Minister also highlighted the mental well-being of students and faculty as a priority, calling for open communication channels, supportive interpersonal relationships, and sustained mental health support structures. RML Hospital already conducts regular mental health screenings for students and health check-ups for faculty, according to the ministry statement.
Project SARATHI and Swachhata Drive
Nadda encouraged the institution to implement Project SARATHI, describing it as an important step forward. He also reviewed activities undertaken under Special Campaign 6, emphasising the institutionalisation of Swachhata (cleanliness), reduction of administrative pendency, efficient record management, and maintaining a hygienic, patient-friendly hospital environment.
Hospital's 2025 Performance: Key Numbers
A detailed presentation at the review meeting outlined RML Hospital's clinical performance and growth trajectory. The hospital recorded 19.4 lakh outpatient visits, over 82,500 inpatient admissions, and more than 96,600 surgeries and procedures in 2025. The hospital currently operates 30 clinical and patient-care departments alongside 8 pre-clinical and para-clinical departments.
The briefing also covered medical education, research activities, and quality improvement initiatives — reflecting the dual role of ABVIMS-RML as both a tertiary care provider and a teaching institution.
Broader Context and What Comes Next
This comes amid a broader government push to integrate digital health infrastructure across public hospitals under the National Digital Health Mission framework. RML Hospital, as a Central Government hospital directly under the Union Health Ministry, is positioned as a model for ABDM rollout. Analysts and health policy observers note that the digitisation of prescription and patient records at large urban hospitals is critical to achieving interoperability across India's fragmented healthcare ecosystem.
With the Minister's directives now on record, implementation timelines for ABDM compliance, Project SARATHI, and mental health initiatives at RML Hospital are expected to be formalised in the coming weeks.
Point of View
But the directives on ABDM compliance and e-prescriptions have been on the ministry's agenda for over two years without uniform uptake across Central Government hospitals. The 19.4 lakh outpatient figure signals that RML is absorbing growing demand, which makes digital efficiency not a luxury but a necessity. The inclusion of mental health for faculty and students is a welcome departure from the usual infrastructure focus, though without ring-fenced budgets and a reporting mechanism, it risks remaining aspirational. Project SARATHI's mention is noteworthy — its rollout at a high-volume hospital like RML could serve as a genuine pilot for national replication, provided the ministry monitors outcomes rather than just announcements.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Health Minister JP Nadda visit RML Hospital on 23 October?
Health Minister J.P. Nadda conducted a review of ABVIMS and RML Hospital on 23 October 2026 to assess patient care, specialised services, and infrastructure development. He also directed the hospital to accelerate digital health adoption and implement Project SARATHI.
What is the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and why is Nadda pushing it at RML Hospital?
The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is the Centre's framework for creating a nationwide digital health ecosystem, covering e-prescriptions, health IDs, and interoperable patient records. Nadda directed full ABDM compliance at RML Hospital to improve service delivery at one of Delhi's largest Central Government hospitals.
What are RML Hospital's key statistics from 2025?
RML Hospital recorded 19.4 lakh outpatient visits, over 82,500 inpatient admissions, and more than 96,600 surgeries and procedures in 2025. The hospital runs 30 clinical and 8 pre-clinical and para-clinical departments.
What is Project SARATHI and why was it mentioned at the RML Hospital review?
Project SARATHI is a health ministry initiative that Health Minister Nadda encouraged RML Hospital to implement, describing it as an important step. Its inclusion in the review suggests the ministry is looking to scale the project at high-volume public hospitals.
What is Special Campaign 6 and how does it apply to RML Hospital?
Special Campaign 6 is a government-wide initiative focusing on cleanliness, reduction of administrative pendency, and efficient record management. Nadda reviewed RML Hospital's progress under this campaign, stressing the need for a hygienic, patient-friendly healthcare environment.
