Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed the authorities to launch a pilot project in several districts as part of the government’s initiative to establish a National e-Health Platform aimed at integrating the country’s healthcare system through a unified digital framework.
The directive was issued at a meeting on integrated information technology systems in the health sector held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon on Saturday. The meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister.
According to Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu, discussions focused on the proposed structure, management system and possible applications of the National e-Health Platform in the healthcare sector.
Under the initial plan, the digital platform will be introduced on a trial basis in several districts.
The pilot phase will be used to assess its effectiveness, identify potential challenges, determine costs and examine its overall feasibility.
Following an evaluation of the pilot’s outcomes, the government plans to gradually expand the system nationwide.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman instructed the authorities to ensure that information technology is used effectively in healthcare so that ordinary citizens can access medical services more easily and conveniently.
He also stressed the need for secure storage of patients’ health information and said relevant doctors and healthcare institutions should be able to access necessary information whenever required.
The prime minister placed particular emphasis on data security and privacy, while directing the authorities to make the platform user-friendly, affordable and sustainable over the long term.
He further instructed the concerned authorities to conduct a proper assessment of the pilot project before deciding on its wider implementation.
Engineer Zakaria Swapan presented various aspects of the proposed National e-Health Platform at the meeting.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain, State Minister MA Muhit, Prime Minister’s Special Assistants SM Ziauddin Hyder and Shakirul Islam Khan, Health Services Division Secretary Md Quamruzzaman Chowdhury, ICT Secretary Md Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan and other senior officials concerned were present at the meeting.
