Kathmandu— The Ministry of Health and Population is preparing to implement a system that will integrate all health-related records of citizens.

To bring all electronic medical records into a single system, Health and Population Minister Pradip Paudel has announced the introduction of a Unique Health ID, which will allow individuals’ entire health history to be stored in one place. This move is part of a larger plan to implement an integrated electronic medical system.

On Wednesday, the minister made a ministerial-level decision to form a recommendation committee led by Dr. Saroj Sharma, Chief of the Quality Standard and Regulation Division of the Ministry, to guide the development of the Health ID system.

The committee comprises representatives from the ministry’s Policy, Planning, and Monitoring Division, the Legal and Decision Implementation Division, and the Department of Registration. Other members include IT Consultant Engineer Shashank Shree Neupane and representatives from the Health Insurance Board, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI). Ramesh Raj Subedi, director of the ministry’s information technology section, has been appointed as the member secretary.

The committee has been tasked with studying and proposing the method, process, and algorithm for creating the Unique Health Identification Number. It will also investigate how this system could be integrated with the National Identity Card, Health Insurance System, and other government-issued identification documents.

According to Ministry Spokesperson Dr. Prakash Budhathoki, further steps will be taken once the committee submits its detailed recommendation report.

Experts state that many countries around the world already have systems assigning a unique health identification number to each citizen. Such systems help centralize health records, making it easier for both healthcare providers and governments to deliver treatment and develop evidence-based health policies and programs.

Committee member Engineer Neupane noted that implementing this new system could help streamline current electronic medical recordkeeping and improve service delivery through digital platforms.