- Gujarat launched a Health Passport for 1.89 crore children aged 0 to 18 years
- The passport records health data like check-ups, nutrition, development, and treatments
- Annual health screenings update the passport via schools or Primary Health Centres
The Gujarat government has launched a first-of-its-kind Health Passport initiative for nearly 1.89 crore children from birth to 18 years of age, creating a comprehensive record of every child's health journey. Introduced under the School Health - Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SH-RBSK), the initiative aims to improve preventive healthcare, enable early diagnosis of illnesses, and ensure continuity of medical care throughout childhood. The Health Passport is far more than a simple medical card. It serves as a lifelong health record during childhood, documenting routine health check-ups, nutritional status, developmental milestones, referrals, and treatments. Here's everything you need to know.
What Is The Health Passport?
The Health Passport is a physical and digitally linked health record that captures a child's complete medical history from birth until the age of 18 years. While annual health screening data was already being uploaded to the SH-RBSK digital portal, parents often did not have easy access to these records. The Health Passport bridges that gap by providing a portable document that can be used during doctor visits, hospital admissions, follow-ups, and emergencies.
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Who Will Receive It?
The initiative covers all children aged 0 to 18 years in Gujarat, benefiting approximately 1.89 crore children. Health screenings will be conducted by 992 mobile health teams at:
- Anganwadis
- Government and private schools
- Madrasas
- Gurukuls
- Special schools
Parents do not need to submit any additional documents. Once the child's health details are entered into the digital system after screening, the Health Passport is issued on the spot.
What Information Will The Health Passport Contain?
The passport will include a detailed record of a child's health and development, including:
- Personal details
- Birth information
- Age-wise health check-ups
- Vaccination and screening records
- Nutritional status
- Physical growth
- Mental and developmental milestones
- Referral history
- Lifestyle and nutrition advice
- Emergency helpline information
This creates one central document that can be updated regularly as the child grows.
Focus On The "4Ds"
One of the most important features is continuous monitoring under SH-RBSK's 4D framework, which screens children for:
- Defects at birth
- Deficiencies
- Childhood diseases
- Developmental delays and disabilities
Early detection allows timely referral and treatment, reducing the risk of long-term health complications.
Annual Updates
The Health Passport will be updated every year.
- For children below five years and those not attending school, the Primary Health Centre Medical Officer will renew the passport annually.
- For school-going children, annual updates will be coordinated through the school principal after routine health screenings.
Linked To A Digital Health System
Although families receive a physical passport, all information is simultaneously stored on the SH-RBSK digital platform. If the physical passport is lost or damaged, a replacement can be generated using the digital records maintained by the health teams. This ensures continuity of medical information and prevents loss of important health data.
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Why Is This Initiative Important?
Many childhood illnesses develop silently or are detected late because families lack continuous health records. By maintaining one consolidated medical document throughout childhood, doctors can better monitor growth, identify developmental concerns earlier, and avoid duplication of tests. The initiative is also expected to strengthen preventive healthcare by encouraging regular screenings, improving follow-up care, and increasing parental awareness about children's health. The Health Passport represents a significant step towards organised, preventive child healthcare in India. By combining annual health screenings with a comprehensive physical and digital medical record, the initiative aims to ensure that every child receives timely diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care from birth through adolescence. If successful, the model could become a blueprint for similar child health programmes across other states.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.