New Delhi: Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, digitally launched the revamped CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme) website (www.cghs.gov.in) and mobile app, “MyCGHS”, today in the presence of Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, said a statement.
“The launch of the revamped CGHS website linked with a mobile app is an important and timely step towards catering to India’s increasing digital penetration. The website has several updated features which shall hugely benefit more than 40 lakhs beneficiaries (both in-service and retired personnel) with real-time information from the convenience of their homes.” He added that such a facility will enable healthcare services to be delivered without venturing out, and is a timely innovative step during the ongoing COVID19 pandemic. It is an important and timely step powered by India’s increasing digital penetration, he added.
The Health Minister added that the basket of services is enlarged with the revamped website. With the newly provided feature of teleconsultation, CGHS beneficiaries can seek expert advice directly through teleconsultation, he stated. With these improved facilities, CGHS aims to further increase its outreach to beneficiaries with ease of providing various facilities.
The new CGHS website and its extension as a Mobile Application called “MyCGHS”, with various beneficiary friendly features, have been designed for ease of service delivery for the beneficiaries within the safe confines of his home especially during the COVID pandemic.
The various features of the upgraded CGHS website are as follows
The Website has been developed in accordance with GIGW (Guidelines for Indian Government Websites). These standards and guidelines make the website 3U compliant i.e., Usable, User-Centric, and Universally Accessible.
As mandated by the GIGW, the site has been made Bilingual (Hindi and English) with provision to make it multi-lingual in the future.
The Website interface is intuitive and with ease of accessing desired information. Extensive search facility has been provided to access the website contents.
User friendly features have been added for visually impaired persons like audio play of the text and option to increase the font size.
There is a direct link to the eSanjeevani Teleconsultation facility through the CGHS website.
The website provides link to the online Grievance Portal developed for CGHS beneficiaries with provision for the grievance to be sent directly to the concerned officer with both SMS and email alert to the concerned officer for timely redressal of complaints.
The website also has a link to beneficiary login for accessing various online facilities such as tracking of Medical Claims, grievances, the status of CGHS card, downloading of CGHS card, accessing the history of medicines, the online appointment system, and various other facilities.
Expressing her elation over this achievement, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar stated that “this has come as a result of our understanding of the uses of digital media sources during the pandemic. In line with the Digital Health Mission, this new website has been launched so that beneficiaries can get the benefits at their convenience.” She further noted that “in future, this platform would be useful to cater the health-related information to the associated 40 lakhs beneficiaries.”
The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) is the nodal healthcare provider to Central Government employees, pensioners and certain other category of beneficiaries and their dependents enrolled under the scheme. It caters to the healthcare needs of eligible beneficiaries covering all four pillars of democratic setup in India namely Legislature, Judiciary, Executive, and Press, and is unique of its kind due to the large volume of its beneficiary base and pan India presence providing healthcare through allopathic as well as indigenous systems of medicine. In order to cater to India’s increasing digital penetration, CGHS has laid emphasis on the delivery of services through various online channels.
Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary, Alok Saxena, AS & DG(CGHS), Nikhilesh Chandra, Director (CGHS), Neeta Verma, DG, NIC and senior officials of the Ministry were virtually present at the meet.