Setting up of an Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) will now make interoperable health records available by The Health Ministry throughout the country. This initiative will computerise records of district and sub-district hospitals in states and union territories under National Health Mission (NHM).
In the light of this initiative, National E-Health Authority will also be set up as a statutory body for promotion and adoption of e-health standards, maintenance of electronic health data, exchange of electronic health records and enforcement of security measures to ensure privacy of these records. The Union Minister J.P Nadda said “A National Health Portal is presently functional in 36 large government hospitals, providing healthcare information to citizens and an online registration facility has also been started.”
Some of the other E-initiatives launched by the government include National Medical College network providing E-education and E-healthcare, E-Blood Bank, MCTS, a name based tracking system to ensure pregnant women’s good health, a toll free number to provide round the clock treatment support to TB patients, ‘Kilkari‘ to deliver weekly audio messages through phones to pregnant or lactating women and mobile based applications for spreading awareness on dengue and smoking.
Initiatives enforced to improve the well being of a country are good news for its citizens. Sincere implementation and functionality of these measures can change the face of any country for the better. What could be a better way for the government to show its people that it cares!!
News Source: TOI
