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The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare recently launched 'Ayushman Sarathi', the official WhatsApp chatbot for the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). The chatbot aims to provide citizens with easy, secure, and real-time access to various PM-JAY services through a familiar digital platform.

About Ayushman Sarathi

Ayushman Sarathi is a secure, API-based digital public health interface that operates on WhatsApp. Developed by the National Health Authority (NHA) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), it enables beneficiaries to access PM-JAY services through simple, automated conversations on their mobile phones without visiting government offices or call centres.

The initiative seeks to improve accessibility to healthcare services, particularly for senior citizens, rural populations, and digitally underserved communities, by delivering citizen-centric services through a widely used messaging platform.

Key Features

The chatbot offers a wide range of services related to Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, allowing beneficiaries to manage their health cards and access scheme-related information conveniently.

Its major features include:

• Checking eligibility under AB PM-JAY.
• Applying for new Ayushman Cards.
• Downloading digital health cards.
• Completing eKYC verification and updating beneficiary details.
• Locking or unlocking PM-JAY cards to prevent misuse or identity fraud.
• Managing the Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card for senior citizens aged 70 years and above.
• Viewing available insurance balance and treatment history.
• Locating nearby empanelled government and private hospitals.
• Registering, tracking, or withdrawing grievances and providing feedback on hospital services.

The chatbot is available 24×7 and can be accessed by sending "Hi" to the official WhatsApp number or by scanning the QR code issued by the National Health Authority.

Nodal Agency

• Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)
• Implementing Agency: National Health Authority (NHA)

The Ayushman Sarathi Chatbot represents another important step in strengthening India's Digital Public Health Infrastructure. By leveraging the widespread use of WhatsApp, the platform simplifies access to government healthcare services without requiring users to install additional applications. It enhances transparency, improves grievance redressal, enables real-time beneficiary support, and strengthens monitoring of healthcare delivery. The initiative is expected to bridge the digital divide, particularly in rural and underserved regions, while making the implementation of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) more accessible, efficient, and citizen-centric.