Infrastructure Planning
Digital Health Infrastructure
Next-Generation Digital Healthcare Facilities
New public sector health facilities (including the proposed 15-bed hospitals at each local level) should be equipped with next-generation digital infrastructure with the goal to provide specialist healthcare services in remote areas.
The new healthcare facilities should be equipped with digital technologies like:
● High-speed Internet access
● High-definition video conferencing
● e-Learning and Collaboration tools
●Computing and Networking Infrastructure
Stakeholders
● Ministry of Health and Population
● Department of Health Services
● Ministry of Finance
● Provincial Government and Local Level
Motivations/Opportunities
● Help in achieving SDGs related to universal access to healthcare (Social
Sustainable Goal # 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at
all ages)
● Improve access to healthcare services for Nepali citizens
Digital Health across the globe is creating a digital response to life’s health events and requirements ranging from Pre-Birth upto End-of-Life.
This creats imperatives to create seamless interconnection and integration for generation of digital health data and secure digital health data exchange across health facilities. For recording, generation of health data and their secure exchange require Digital Infrastructure at health facilities:
| Digital Health Infrastructure Components | Functions |
| Computing Device(Computer, Laptop, Smartphone) | To record data |
| Network Devices( Router, Switch, Network Cabling etc.) | For networking of computing platforms |
| Internet | Data connectivity for health data exchange |
| Security Devices | For Secure Connection |
| Power Backup | Alternative power source |
| Data Backup Server | To create redundant data |
| Local Application Server | To create a distributed system for load balancing and uninterrupted continuity of digital service |
| Firewall | To protect digital assets |
Note: Devices and Data Connectivity required as per the standards for a type of health facility.
Besides this requires various telehealth toolkits for telehealth or online health consultation services
Health Facility Registry
The Ministry of Health and Population has implemented the Health Facility Registry which has enlisted all kinds of health facilities in Nepal. It lists about 9871 total health facilities, out of which 7617 health facilities are government facilities which is the area of our interest whereas 2254 health facilities are non-government and their digital health infrastructure regulation should be mentioned in Health Facility Registration and Operation Directives issued by MoHP.