e-Health cards for all soon
To implement the initiative, the PMO formed a high-level cell on 26 Feb
Highlights:
- e-Health cards store patients' key health information
- Initiatives include referral system, ambulance pool, PPP framework
- Asian Development Bank to fund healthcare digital projects
- Cards enable faster, accurate emergency medical care
- 100,000 health workers to be recruited, mostly women
As part of its health sector digitalisation drive, the government is set to roll out e-Health cards, aiming to bring healthcare services directly to the people.
The digital health identity card will store a patient's basic information, including name, age, blood group, medical history, ongoing treatments, medications, vaccination records, and summaries of diagnostic tests.
High-level cell formed
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A high-level cell, formed on 26 February by the Prime Minister's Office, will implement several initiatives, including the e-Health card, an electronic referral system, recruitment of 100,000 health workers, development of service frameworks through public-private partnerships (PPP), and the establishment of an ambulance pool.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman held a meeting yesterday (4 March) with the cell members, directing the immediate launch of the e-Health card.
After the meeting, Prime Minister's additional press secretary Atiqur Rahman Ruman told journalists: "The Prime Minister has given the Health Minister proper directives to start the work of launching the e-Health card. The government's policy is to bring healthcare services directly to the people."
The "Healthy Bangladesh" programme, led by Health Minister Sarder Sakhawat Hossain Bakul with coordination from officials of the Health, Education, Information, Finance, and Planning ministries, is already underway.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide funding to support these initiatives.
Pilot launch and healthcare reforms
Health Minister Sarder Sakhawat Hossain Bakul said once the card is launched, it will allow fast and accurate medical care in emergencies. Doctors will be able to easily access a patient's previous information, facilitating better medical decision-making.
Dr Ziauddin Hyder, adviser to the BNP Chairman, told The Business Standard that these steps aim to strengthen the health system, improve primary healthcare, and make services more accessible and affordable.
The cell will provide guidance on creating a contract-based service framework between public and private hospitals through PPPs, covering quality control, certification, and ensuring healthcare workers' regular attendance. It will also recommend effective measures to enhance overall healthcare quality.
In addition, the cell will design training programs and coordinated field supervision for recruiting 100,000 healthcare workers—a key election pledge of the BNP government—with a gender distribution of 80% women and 20% men.
Policies will be proposed to safeguard healthcare workers' dignity, safety, professional development, and career progression. Plans will also include establishing ambulance pools with GPS tracking and ensuring safe medical waste management across all hospitals.
