Shaza, Kamal, review progress on ‘One Patient, One ID’ project

ISLAMABAD, Oct 6 (APP): Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal on Tuesday reviewed progress on the “One Patient, One ID” project and agreed on a joint roadmap to make it operational soon. The meeting was held on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

According to the Ministry of IT, under the proposed system, a citizen’s Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) number will serve as their unique medical record number, allowing all medical records to be linked to a single identification number.

The ministry said the system would enable doctors and hospitals to access a patient’s complete medical history and previous records when the patient is shifted from one hospital to another.

“Technology and healthcare are being combined in the best possible way to make the medical treatment system more transparent and modern through digital medical records,” Shaza Fatima Khawaja said.

The meeting stressed taking practical measures and preparing clear terms of reference (TORs) to ensure the early implementation of the project.

It was also decided in the meeting to conduct a third-party review of the “One Patient, One ID” project to ensure quality and transparency.

The participants agreed that all relevant institutions would work under a unified mechanism to finalise the project at the earliest in the public interest.

The meeting also agreed to activate an IT wing in the Ministry of Health to help understand and properly operate the new system.

Under the initiative, patients’ medical records will no longer remain scattered across different hospitals. Instead, they will be linked to their single CNIC number, enabling easier access to their medical history.