Ahmedabad: The Gujarat govt on Tuesday launched the ‘Health Passport’, a comprehensive health record for children from birth to 18 years of age, with the aim of creating a continuous medical history and strengthening early detection of health issues.The initiative will be implemented under the School Health–Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SH-RBSK), covering nearly 1.89 crore children across the state through annual health screenings.The Health Passport is a standardised document that will record a child’s medical history from birth through adolescence. It will track major health parameters, including birth defects, diseases, nutritional deficiencies, developmental delays and disabilities, providing a single record that can be updated every year.In addition to medical history, the passport will include information on nutrition status, physical and mental development, referral services received, and essential health guidance for parents.Health screenings will be conducted at anganwadis, schools, madrasas, gurukuls and special schools. Following the health examination and data entry, children will receive their Health Passport on the spot.For children below the age of five and those not enrolled in schools, the document will be renewed annually by medical officers at primary health centres. For school-going children, annual renewal and updating of the passport will be coordinated through school principals.The initiative also features digital integration with the SH-RBSK portal, enabling secure storage and efficient management of health records. Officials said the digital backup will ensure that records remain accessible even if the physical passport is misplaced or damaged, allowing it to be reissued without loss of medical history.
