Online Population Health Registry

Making a permanent online registry of electronic health records of all citizens of Bangladesh is now on progress. The work included the rural citizens, who represent 70% of the country’s population, first.

The reason for this is better organization of rural administrative and health care system. Data collection using specially designed computer readable forms have been completed. A technology called Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR) will be used to enter the data in the computer. This machine can read hand written scripts too. Data entry will start soon for preparing the online database. Each citizen will have an online health record of traceable through unique identifier. The health records will be updated in each medical encounter and change of events. Health facilities, where the citizen will receive any medical care, or health workers visiting home of the citizen, or community clinic where the citizen is permanently affiliated will update the health record. To equip the health facilities, health workers and community clinics, appropriate devices and Internet connectivity are being provided to these facilities and persons aimed to be completed by 2016.

Once in its full functionality, this online registry will provide updated demographics, birth and death rates and disease related information at any time through Internet and user friendly computer dash board. Need for conducting separate surveys will be minimized.