The National Health Authority (NHA) demonstrated Sandbox 2.0 with agentic AI and an Ambient AI-enabled Voice Scribe at a two-day National Review Meeting on Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) in Kolkata on 5–6 November 2026. During the Sandbox 2.0 demo, an ABDM Milestone 1 integration for Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) creation was completed in real time, pointing to faster onboarding for technology partners and Hospital Information System (HIS) providers.
The meeting was convened under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and brought together senior officials from States and Union Territories. Dr Sunil Kumar Barnwal, Chief Executive Officer, NHA, told delegates that technology, data and artificial intelligence can strengthen implementation and support better decision-making. “Every rupee spent on healthcare must lead to better care for our people,” he said, urging a shift from financing treatment alone toward better health outcomes. The primary account of the review was issued by the Press Information Bureau (PRID 2333617, 6 November 2026).
What Sandbox 2.0 with agentic AI showed
Sandbox 2.0, enhanced with agentic AI, is designed to simplify and speed ABDM integration. Completing Milestone 1 ABHA creation live illustrated how AI-assisted tooling can cut the time and technical effort partners need, while reducing reliance on manual support. Programme documentation and partner resources remain on the official ABDM portal. The demo sits alongside wider industry work on ABDM-ready platforms — including Mulk Technology’s OnClarity ABDM-ready AI digital hospital suite — that depend on smoother certification and integration paths.
Ambient AI Voice Scribe for clinical documentation
NHA also demonstrated its Ambient AI-enabled Voice Scribe, which converts doctor–patient conversations into structured clinical records in multiple Indian languages. Doctors review and approve the draft before it is linked to the patient’s ABHA. The aim is to lower documentation burden, streamline clinical workflows and accelerate facility digitisation without removing clinician control of the record.
BODH, NHCX, cybersecurity and the digital facility framework
Prof. Phaneendra Yalavarthy (TANUH, IISc Bengaluru) presented the Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI (BODH), which lets States evaluate health AI models on Indian datasets before procurement. NHA has previously flagged related benchmarking work in its digital health collaboration discussions with the UAE. Officials also reviewed operationalisation of the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX) and stressed ABDM-enabled HIS at PM-JAY empanelled hospitals — a theme eHealth has covered in its NHCX digital claims explainers.
Cybersecurity guidance urged States to name dedicated leads, harden authentication and audit apps and APIs against phishing, credential leaks and third-party risks. The Model Digital Health Facility Framework was also reviewed; related ABDM milestones tracked by eHealth include Patna’s 1.13 crore ABDM-linked health records and the national crossing of 100 crore health records linked to ABHA.
Key takeaways
- At the Kolkata NHA review (5–6 Nov 2026), Sandbox 2.0 with agentic AI completed a live ABDM Milestone 1 ABHA-creation integration to speed partner and HIS onboarding.
- Ambient AI Voice Scribe turns multilingual doctor–patient conversations into structured clinical records that clinicians approve before ABHA linkage.
- States were briefed on BODH health-AI benchmarking (IISc/TANUH), NHCX with ABDM-enabled HIS, cybersecurity leads and audits, and the Model Digital Health Facility Framework.
FAQ
What is NHA Sandbox 2.0?
Sandbox 2.0 is NHA’s enhanced ABDM integration environment with agentic AI. At the Kolkata meeting it completed a live Milestone 1 ABHA-creation integration, showing how AI can shorten onboarding for tech partners and HIS providers.
How does Ambient AI Voice Scribe work under ABDM?
It converts doctor–patient conversations into structured clinical records in multiple Indian languages. The treating doctor reviews and approves the record before it is linked to the patient’s ABHA.
What is BODH in health AI?
BODH (Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI), presented by Prof. Phaneendra Yalavarthy of TANUH/IISc Bengaluru, helps States benchmark health AI models on Indian datasets before adoption or procurement.
Featured image: Official speaks at the National Review Meeting on AB PM-JAY and ABDM, Kolkata, 5–6 November 2026. Photo: Press Information Bureau / Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (PRID 2333617)
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