Karnataka Approves SAMASTA for Health Record Digitisation

Karnataka approved the phased rollout of SAMASTA, an integrated community digital health platform for digitising health records and replacing manual paper-based record-keeping. The platform is linked with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and is designed for use at Ayushman Arogya Kendras and Primary Health Centres.

SAMASTA Platform

SAMASTA is a mobile-based digital health system for community-level service delivery in Karnataka. It is intended for use by ASHA workers, Auxiliary Nurse Midwives, and health inspectors during field-level health work. The platform supports both online and offline data entry, which allows local storage of records in areas with poor internet connectivity.

Digital Health Features

SAMASTA reduces the number of manual data elements in the ASHA diary from 485 to 134 digital data points. This change is projected to reduce the data-entry workload of field workers by about 75%. The platform also integrates family IDs, Aadhaar-based verification, and Ayushman Bharat Health Account IDs.

Implementation and Pilot Data

A pilot run of SAMASTA in Udupi district recorded a 95% beneficiary registration rate and an 85% completion rate for health check-ups. The pilot also linked more than 400,000 Ayushman Bharat Health Account IDs. The Karnataka Department of Health and Family Welfare worked with the Khushi Baby Association on a baseline study across 14 districts.

Important Facts for Exams

• ASHA stands for Accredited Social Health Activist, and ASHA workers are part of India’s community health workforce.
• ANM stands for Auxiliary Nurse Midwife, and ANMs provide maternal and child health services at the primary level.
• ABHA stands for Ayushman Bharat Health Account, which is a digital health ID under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.
• Ayushman Arogya Kendras are health and wellness centres under India’s primary healthcare framework.

Related State Health Initiative

Karnataka also sanctioned ₹10.04 crore for the Taluk Mental Health Programme. The programme will be expanded across 31 taluks in the Kalyana Karnataka region, including Bidar, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Yadgir, and Koppal.