Kerala Health Department Wins Four E-Governance Awards

Thiruvananthapuram: The Health Department of Kerala has received four prestigious accolades in the State Government's E-Governance Awards, which honour excellence and innovation in the use of technology for governance. The department’s flagship initiative Aashadhara (A scheme that provides free-of-cost treatment, management, and care for individuals suffering from hemophilia and other hemoglobinopathies) secured first prize in the E-Health and E-Medicine category, while the Department of Microbiology at the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, was conferred a Special Jury Award. 

Additionally, the Arogyakiranam (A health insurance scheme from Kerala for children and adolescents who are residents of the state and are not dependent on government servants or income taxpayers) and Karunya Arogya Suraksha (a government-funded health insurance scheme in Kerala that provides financial protection for secondary and tertiary hospitalization) schemes secured the second and third positions respectively in their respective categories.

The awards were presented by the Chief Minister, with NHM State Mission Director Dr. Vinay Goyal, State Programme Manager Dr. Bijoy, Aashadhara State Programme Officer Dr. Rahul U.R., and Head of the Microbiology Department Dr. Manjushree receiving them on behalf of the department. Health Minister Veena George extended her congratulations to all the teams involved for their outstanding contributions.

Aashadhara: A Model in Haemophilia Care

The Aashadhara initiative, which focuses on the care and treatment of haemophilia patients, stood out for its robust digital implementation. A dedicated software platform has been developed to ensure streamlined care for 2,194 patients across the state. Notably, Kerala became the first state in the country to introduce the cutting-edge Emicizumab prophylaxis treatment during the tenure of the present government.

The treatment is currently being administered in accordance with technical committee recommendations to children under 18 and to adults with severe forms of the disease. As of now, 324 individuals are receiving Emicizumab prophylaxis. In the last year alone, treatment worth approximately Rs. 58 crore was provided free of cost. It was this exemplary and inclusive healthcare model that earned the programme top honours.

Digitisation and Service Delivery Recognised

The Arogyakiranam scheme, implemented by the State Health Agency, won second place under the Digital Process Re-engineering category for its comprehensive digitisation efforts. The Karunya Arogya Suraksha scheme secured third place in the E-Citizen Service Delivery and M-Governance category, recognising its effective delivery of health services to the public through mobile and digital platforms.

Over the past three years, Kerala has consistently topped national charts in providing free healthcare, earning the Arogya Manthan Award for its record performance. Between 2020 and mid-2024, the state has provided free treatment worth Rs. 7,708 crore to over 25.17 lakh beneficiaries.

Of this, treatment worth Rs. 7,163 crore was extended to 24.06 lakh individuals through the Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi (KASP), while 64,075 patients benefited from Rs. 544 crore worth of assistance through the Karunya Benevolent Fund. The Arogyakiranam scheme alone provided free treatment worth Rs. 68.3 crore to 16.3 lakh children. Currently, 43.07 lakh families are enrolled under KASP.

WHO-Backed Innovation in Microbiology

The Special Jury Award for the Microbiology Department at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, was in recognition of a pioneering initiative that developed a culture reporting format aligned with the AWaRe metrics recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The format was implemented as part of the KARSAP programme and has since been adopted by several institutions within and outside Kerala.

This innovation is a significant step forward in combating antimicrobial resistance and streamlining clinical microbiology reporting. It reflects Kerala’s commitment to adopting globally validated practices in public health.