Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam has announced that the government is set to introduce a “National Health Card” to eliminate the disparity between rural and urban healthcare services.
According to the minister, once the planned National Health Card is implemented, doctors will be able to instantly access the necessary health information of patients from any part of the country.
This initiative is expected to make diagnosis and treatment faster, more accurate, and more integrated.
The minister on Wednesday made the announcement while speaking on the use of digital technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the health sector at a programme titled “Digital and Intelligent Integration for Health – Towards a New Cooperative Ecosystem along the Silk Road” held in Xi’an, China.
“This is not just a technological convenience; it is a vital step towards establishing equity in healthcare,” Anam noted. He emphasised that the government’s goal is to ensure that a person in a remote river island (char) area receives the same quality of healthcare as a patient in a modern hospital in Dhaka.
Anam further revealed that the government is working on a human-centric National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy. The foundation of this policy will be human rights, ethics, transparency, and inclusive development, with the highest priority given to ensuring technology serves human welfare without excluding anyone.
Alongside the expansion of digital healthcare, a robust data protection system is being developed to safeguard citizens’ personal information. Anam noted that a sustainable digital health system is not possible without secure information management.
The government is collaborating with international partners to integrate innovative technology and AI-based solutions to deliver advanced healthcare to marginalised communities.
Bangladesh remains firmly committed to building a non-discriminatory, inclusive, and technology-driven health system, the Minister added.
The Silk Road forum, organised by World Internet Conference (WIC) Secretariat and funded by Chinese government, was attended by top officials of China’s Cyberspace Administration, leaders of Shaanxi Province, and representatives from various international organisations, including the World Health Organization (WHO).
International analysts and Chinese global media outlets described “Digital Health Working Group” as a major milestone in digitalising the health sector under Beijing’s “Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)”.
The international conference, held from 21 to 22 July, saw participation from ministers, policymakers, technology experts, and representatives of international organisations from various countries, including Cambodia, Algeria, Zambia, Cuba, Nicaragua, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, Russia, and Brazil.
