System in offing to compile health related data of citizens

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Apr. 18: The Ministry of Health and Population is making preparations to implement a system that will consolidate all health-related details of citizens. 

Minister for Health and Population Pradip Paudel has initiated preparations for creating a unique health ID to store all health information of an individual in one place. 

The preparation is being carried out according to his previous decision to implement an integrated electronic medical system to consolidate all electronic medical records into a single platform. 

For this, a ministerial-level decision was made on Wednesday to form a recommendation committee under the leadership of Dr. Saroj Sharma, Chief of the Quality Measurement and Regulation Division at the Ministry. 

The committee includes representatives from the Ministry’s Policy, Planning and Monitoring Division, the Legal and Decision Implementation Division and the Registration Department. 

Similarly, IT consultant Engineer Shashank Shree Neupane, representatives from the Health Insurance Board, the World Health Organisation, and the Confederation of Nepalese Industries are also included in the committee. 

Ramesh Raj Subedi, the Director of Information Technology at the Ministry, has been appointed as the Member Secretary of the committee.  

The committee has been tasked with studying and proposing the 

methods, processes and algorithms for creating the health identification number. 

Likewise, the committee has also been instructed to conduct necessary research in relation to the national identity card, health insurance system and other recognised identification cards issued by the government. 

According to the Ministry’s Spokesperson, Dr. Prakash Budathoki, further processes will be carried forward once the Ministry receives a detailed report with recommendations from the committee. 

Each individual is assigned a separate health identification number in various countries around the world.  

Experts say such a system helps consolidate all health-related records of a person and assists both in medical treatment and in the government’s formulation of programmes and plans based on health data of citizens. 

Committee member Neupane stated that implementing such a system would support the existing electronic medical record system and make it easier to deliver health services through electronic means.