PESHAWAR: Director General Health Services Dr Mohammad Saleem Khan has said that digitalisation of healthy system has been started to streamline data about diseases and otter interventions to improve patients’ care in the province.

Speaking at the concluding session of a training of health staff here on Thursday, he said that they had started pursuing innovative approaches and technologies to ensure collection of real data that could be used by policymakers regarding improvement in policies.

He said that health department reached a major milestone with the successful training of computer operators, data analysts and public health coordinators from all 36 districts of the province on district health information system (DHIS)-2 platforms. He said that a total 126 people were trained in three batches.

The training was facilitated, sponsored and arranged by UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) in collaboration with health department and National Institute of Health (NIH), a press release said.

Dr Saleem said that the ongoing exercise of digitalisation aligned with international standards laid foundation for transformation. DHIS-2, a secure, flexible and globally recognised system, comes with no associated costs for the government, making it a sustainable choice.

Dr Amir Rafiq Khattak, the health adviser to UKHSA, said that the initiative was the first of its kind where healthcare providers and data analysts were jointly trained, marking a significant step in building in-house capacity. The department, through its collaboration with UKHSA, has developed the ability to manage, adapt, and expand the software as needed, including creating dashboards for diseases and emergencies.

Real-time data management enabled by DHIS-2 ensures that senior officials can promptly act on emerging health issues. The trained personnel can now independently design dashboards for new outbreaks or emergencies, strengthening the country’s ability to respond effectively to public health challenges.

The collaboration between health department, UKHSA and NIH has been very conducive. This initiative not only strengthens Pakistan’s public health system but also exemplifies fiscal responsibility by providing cost-effective digital solutions for the population.

The successful adoption and training of DHIS-2 platform are milestones in the province’s journey towards a digitally transformed health system, ensuring better health outcomes for people.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2024