-Imagine doctors coming to your home for appointments—how convenient would that be? No more hours spent in hospitals or clinics with an ailing body. Clear, accessible prescriptions and doctors are available at your convenience. It might seem like a fantasy, but could it be a reality? Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, this became a reality, all thanks to our nation’s doctors, healthcare workers, and technologists. When in-person medical care became impossible due to lockdown restrictions, telemedicine services emerged as a lifeline. Patients accessed medical advice directly from doctors through mobile phones. Additionally, services offering e-prescriptions and monitoring patient conditions via video meetings were initiated. Telemedicine also facilitates the storage and follow-up of patient information efficiently.
If during the COVID-19 pandemic, such extensive services and policymaking were achievable with limited resources in a short span, why can’t we attain smart healthcare now? Indeed, why not? This very question drove the initiation of the Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041, aimed at revitalizing the entire nation. A key objective of this endeavor is to establish an inclusive healthcare system accessible to all citizens. Hence, the shift from digital to smart healthcare is underway. But what exactly constitutes smart healthcare?
Within this system, healthcare provisions across the nation will be entirely digitized, covering every individual. Implementation of a digital health system ensures universal technology-driven medical care for all citizens, irrespective of urban or rural. Even those in remote areas can access expert advice and medical assistance from home. Access to high-quality yet affordable diagnostic centers and home laboratories will be facilitated.
Efforts are ongoing to train healthcare professionals in technology. Medical universities have been established in every divisional city, aiming to foster skilled health workers adept in utilizing technology. A Smart Bangladesh Task Force has been formed to guide the establishment of Centers for Excellence/Research and Innovation Centers. These centers will spearhead frontier-based research, fostering an innovative environment focused on artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, and the fourth industrial revolution.
Technology, artificial intelligence, and data-driven healthcare are pivotal in shaping a future Smart Bangladesh. Personal need-based medications, a fully digitized healthcare system, preventive measures, research, and innovations are the cornerstones of smart healthcare. The primary emphasis is on inclusivity, ensuring that every individual across the nation benefits. This initiative also aims to bridge the digital divide and ensure equal participation, reaching even the most marginalized sectors of society through smart healthcare.