Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, announced that the state government will deploy digital health systems to bridge the healthcare gap in remote areas, ensuring that advanced medical services reach citizens at the last mile. Shukla made the announcement while addressing a state-level workshop on the Model District and Model Health Institution initiative under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) held at the Kushabhau Thakre International Convention Centre in Bhopal.

What the Initiative Entails

The Deputy Chief Minister, who also heads the state's health department, said digital healthcare would make medical services more accessible, transparent, and citizen-centric. He emphasised that the Model District and Model Health Institution initiative must be viewed not merely as a technology project but as a broader transformation of healthcare delivery across Madhya Pradesh.

Shukla said he has directed officials to ensure effective implementation of digital health systems in selected model districts and health institutions, and to replicate successful practices across other facilities statewide. He also called for more effective use of telemedicine in rural areas, noting it could enable people to access medical consultations without travelling long distances.

'Digital health services can ensure that people living in the remotest parts of the state get easy access to quality and advanced healthcare. This should be our collective goal,' Shukla said at the workshop.

Key Directives from the Deputy CM

Shukla stated that the state government is working towards creating posts in accordance with IPHS-12 standards, expediting recruitment, and ensuring the availability of necessary equipment at health institutions. He called on selected model districts and health institutions to develop replicable best practices that can strengthen the state's digital health ecosystem.

Districts and Institutions Recognised

During the workshop, districts and health institutions that performed well under the ABDM were felicitated. Jabalpur, Gwalior, Indore, and Satna were recognised for their performance in ABHA ID generation. Bhopal District Hospital and Index Medical College and Hospital, Indore, were honoured for token generation, while Jabalpur District Hospital and AIIMS Bhopal received recognition for digital health record filing.

Scale of ABDM Implementation in MP

Ayushman Bharat Yojana (Madhya Pradesh) Chief Executive Officer Arvind Shah revealed that more than 5.9 crore ABHA IDs had been generated in the state as of August 2026. Additionally, more than 20,444 health institutions have been registered in the Health Facility Registry, and 19,274 healthcare professionals are listed in the Health Professional Registry. These figures reflect significant on-ground adoption of the national digital health framework.

What Comes Next

With model districts expected to serve as templates for state-wide rollout, the focus now shifts to execution — particularly on telemedicine penetration in tribal and rural belts where healthcare access has historically lagged. The success of the ABDM in Madhya Pradesh could influence how other states scale their own digital health programmes under the national mission.