Soon database of country's almost all health establishments, including clinics, nursing homes, hospitals and diagnostic labs whether in private or Government sectors, will be available online with interactive maps.
Aiming to improve health outcomes and create health database, the Union Health Ministry has rolled out the National Health Resource Repository (NHRR) wherein massive exercise to map all public and private healthcare establishments at the district level is being undertaken in the country. This is the first ever healthcare establishment census, using paperless technology.
A senior Health Ministry official said that a web-based and geo-mapping enabled single platform of all the health resources both Government and private is being developed. It will comprise of the data on health infrastructure, human resource and the availability and type of medical facilities.
The importance of health mapping lies in the production of interactive and published maps that would link the geography of communities with other dimensions such as availability and accessibility of health services, or disease prevention and control services particularly in rural areas, added an official from the WHO.