Over 3,000 health facilities across the Punjab under e-monitoring through android phones by 281 health officers including the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Health, District Officer Health (DOH) and Deputy District Officer Health (DDOH) under Health Watch program launched across the Punjab in collaboration with the Punjab Information Technology University (PITB) has shown improvement in health staff coverage from 25 % to 98 %. The three major indicators being monitored through this program include attendance of the staff, availability of Medicine / Stock-outs and review of the overall health facility condition / highlight non-functional equipment.

The Health Watch program IT enabled performance audit of health facilities aims to empower public health sector mangers at district level by providing them timely, authentic and well-tabulated information on the status of health facilities in terms of human resources, medicines, equipment availability / functionality and utilization of facilities. Currently 1773 Basic Health Units (BHU), 808 24/7 open Basic Health Units (BHU), 305 Rural Health Centers (RHC), 109 Tehsil Headquarters (TH) and 34 District Headquarter (DH) facilities are being watched under this automated system.

The DHMs submit their inspection data through the Health Watch application developed by the PITB. The data submitted through application automatically pops-up on a map using GPS in real time. Multiple other reports are available on a web-based dashboard for departmental review and decision-making.

The dashboard has received more than 200,000 entries from the field mangers. Data shown on the dashboard is used for formulating and devising strategies by the relevant departments. The consolidated data gathered through Health Watch is presented monthly in a departmental meeting chaired by the provincial health minister and Primary and Secondary Health secretary.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2018