NEWS: The Union Home & Cooperation Minister launched the PM Family Care Tracker (PM-FCT)à a digital platform to strengthen maternal health, child health, nutrition, and family welfare through real-time monitoring of beneficiaries.

ABOUT PM-FCT

• A digital governance platform, launched as a pilot project in Gujarat.
• Tracks beneficiaries from pregnancy to 18 years of age.
• Integrates multiple health, nutrition, and welfare schemes into a single digital platform.
• Aims to ensure timely delivery of healthcare and welfare benefits through real-time monitoring.

KEY FEATURES

• Digital Health Passports for families to maintain health records.
• Real-time tracking of antenatal care, postnatal care, immunisation, nutrition, child growth, school enrolment, and adolescent health.
• Digital dashboards for officials to monitor scheme implementation.
• Generates alerts for vaccinations and other essential health services.
• Reduces duplication of records and improves inter-departmental coordination.

SIGNIFICANCE

• Enables early identification of high-risk beneficiaries and timely interventions.
• Helps reduce maternal mortality, infant mortality, and malnutrition.
• Improves transparency, efficiency, and evidence-based governance.
• Supports Digital India, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), National Health Mission (NHM), and SDGs 2 & 3.

CHALLENGES

• Requires robust digital infrastructure and internet connectivity.
• Ensuring data accuracy, privacy, and cybersecurity.
• Capacity building of frontline workers (ASHAs, ANMs, Anganwadi Workers).
• Effective implementation in rural and remote areas.