The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-funded DIGI-CARE project is a landmark initiative under the National Health Research Priority (NHRP) framework, designed to optimize digital health systems and improve patient outcomes across the country. DIGI-CARE is a multi-centric project aimed to strengthen digital technologies in India’s public health system, focussing on improving the management of diabetes and hypertension. 

JIPMER, Puducherry, has been selected as one of six national implementation sites, along with The George Institute for Global Health (Hyderabad), Centre for Chronic Disease Control (Delhi), Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (Kochi), AIIMS Guwahati, and ICMR-NIIRNCD (Jodhpur).

The project specifically targets gaps in the National NCD Portal, a tool that supports the continuum of care from screening to treatment and follow-up. Stakeholders involved include ASHAs, ANMs, Community Health Officers (CHO), medical officers, program officials, policymakers, patients, and the community. While widely used, the portal faces challenges such as fragmented workflows, usability barriers, and poor digital infrastructure. DIGI-CARE aims to address these issues by introducing context-specific, optimized models that focus on improving early detection, diagnosis, treatment initiation, and follow-up of patients with diabetes and hypertension. By strengthening digital infrastructure, enhancing ABHA linkage, building healthcare provider competence, and optimizing clinical workflows, the project promotes real-time data capture and evidence-based decision-making. Key outcome measures include improved control of blood pressure and blood sugar, reduction in NCD-related complications, better medication adherence, increased patient satisfaction, and improved completeness and accuracy of health data. This intervention is designed to create a sustainable, scalable model that integrates digital health technologies into routine care, improves program monitoring, offering a replicable model for the entire NP-NCD system nationwide.

Highlighting the project’s relevance, Puducherry recently hosted the official launch of DIGI-CARE at the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services (DHFWS). The event was led by Dr. S. Sevvel (Director, DHFWS) and Dr. S. Govindarajan (Mission Director, NHM), with participation from ICMR delegates including Dr. Roopa Shivashankar (Project Coordinator) and Dr. Saurabh Sharma (ICMR Headquarters, New Delhi), State NCD Officers Dr. J,Ramesh  and Dr. R.Duraisamy along with JIPMER investigators Dr. Subitha L (Principal Investigator) and Dr. Sitanshu Sekhar Kar (Co-Principal Investigator). The launch underscored the collaborative effort between ICMR, state health authorities, and JIPMER in implementing the program at district and state levels.

As diabetes and hypertension continue to pose a growing public health challenge in India, DIGI-CARE represents a critical step toward integrating digital solutions into routine care, strengthening monitoring systems, and ultimately improving the quality of healthcare delivery.

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