NHA appoints Praveen Sharma as Director, RS Sharma tenure ends as CEO

INDIA – The National Health Authority (NHA) has hired Praveen Sharma as its new Director under the Central Staffing Scheme for a five-year term.

In his new role, Sharma will be leading NHA to achieve its ambitious goal to assist India in its digital health journey.

NHA is the apex body responsible for implementing India’s flagship public health insurance scheme called “Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana”.

According to the National Health Authority, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) will connect the digital health solutions of hospitals across the country.

It has been entrusted with the role of designing strategy, building technological infrastructure, and implementing India’s digital health mission to create a national digital health eco-system.

Sharma takes over as Director of the National Health Authority to oversee the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.

The new Director of NHA will work closely with senior government officials and high-level representatives of relevant stakeholder groups for the management of ABDM.

He will also be responsible for the capacity building of various stakeholders for health informatics as well as stakeholder engagement to achieve the objectives of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.

At the same time, the Chief Executive Officer of India’s National Health Authority, Ram Sewak Sharma, has stepped down from his senior role after his tenure ended on January 31, 2023.

In a press release, the NHA said: “Sharma is admired for his tech-savviness as India’s digital public goods infrastructure was also built under his leadership.”

He served as the first Director General of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) before his tenure at the National Health Authority.

He was also appointed as the Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India in 2015 where he played a significant role in overseeing important changes in the telecom industry.

Commenting on the leadership changes, RS Sharma said: “I am happy to share that we are set on a transformational journey in India’s healthcare service delivery.”

He expressed his gratitude to the board of directors for the opportunity to lead the National Health Authority.

“It has been my privilege to be a part of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) & Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) which aims to make healthcare affordable, accessible, and available for all,” added the former NHA CEO.

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