SHILLONG, June 16: Digital mandates are reportedly turning into life-threatening barriers in rural Meghalaya, where children are being denied emergency healthcare and insurance benefits because they lack Aadhaar cards.
The Federation of Khasi, Jaintia & Garo People (FKJGP) has petitioned the state government to ensure that medical treatment is not delayed or denied to minors, warning that the current insistence on Aadhaar documentation is endangering lives.
In a letter to the Chief Executive Officer of the State Nodal Agency-MHIS on Tuesday, FKJGP president Dundee Cliff Khongsit flagged a systemic failure: hospitals are demanding Aadhaar cards for children even when their parents are fully enrolled under the Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS).
The requirement is particularly grueling for families in remote blocks. Khongsit noted that many parents are unable to enroll their children due to the state’s crumbling digital infrastructure. Enrollment centers at the block level frequently suffer from technical glitches, slow processing, or a total lack of manpower.
For daily wage earners, the “Digital India” requirement often means a choice between a day’s meal and making repeated, costly trips to non-functional enrolment centers.
“Despite parents possessing valid Aadhaar cards, hospitals continue to insist on documentation for children, creating unnecessary obstacles for those seeking urgent medical assistance,” Khongsit stated.
The Federation also highlighted the crisis in emergency care. Patients admitted late at night often struggle to access MHIS benefits for diagnostic tests and procedures because insurance counters are closed or require Aadhaar verification that families cannot provide on the spot
Seeking immediate intervention, the FKJGP urged the Health Department to issue clear directives to all healthcare institutions stating that essential services must not be withheld from minors due to the absence of an Aadhaar card. The group proposed that parents’ Aadhaar details or alternative identification be accepted in such cases.
The Federation further demanded that the government strengthen rural enrolment facilities by increasing staff and improving the monitoring of registration counters to ease the burden on rural families.
