UID to facilitate healthcare services: Nilekani

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) chairman Nandan Nilekani Thursday said "Aadhar", the unique identification number, would help people obtain a birth certificate easily and facilitate healthcare facilities.

Nilekani said the UID system being put in place would help eliminate the problem that most Indians do not have birth certificates or any other proof of identity, adding this is the problem of migration or mobility.

"The UID will open up a whole new dimension in healthcare in the country," said Nilekani, speaking on the theme "Aadhar and its role in delivering universal healthcare" on the first day of the 8th India Health Summit organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here.

He said with internet facilitating accumulation and analysis of large volumes of data, these records can be of immense use both for the individual as well as the medical practitioners.

Nilekani said 125 million people have already been enrolled for UID and the figure is going to increase by 600 million in the next two and a half years.

He said the UID would also enable and streamline delivery of healthcare facilities like immunisation. It would be possible to see trends of diseases, building up of any epidemic and monitor functioning of health care operators in real time, Nilekani pointed out.