Tanu, Tanya; Sagar, Vidya; Kumar, Dewesh
Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India
Address for correspondence: Dr. Dewesh Kumar, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India. E-mail: [email protected]
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Sir,
The Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) is a recent development in the already existing Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP). It is a revolution in the digitalization of the health sector in India and is being soft launched on a pan-India basis from 1st April 2021. Keeping in account the existing gaps that could not be addressed even after a phased introduction of IDSP in India, the 2015 Joint Monitoring Mission report of IDSP strongly recommended a review and redesign of the IDSP surveillance system, including re-prioritization of the list of diseases under the IDSP and assessing the need for collecting more epidemiological data for action. The IT-enabled digital surveillance system has taken a total of 33 epidemic-prone diseases/syndromes under its wing. Unlike IDSP, where there was a weekly reporting of data using S, P, and L forms, IHIP is a near real-time, web-based platform with advanced data modeling and analytical tools.[1] IHIP is designed to capture disaggregate data at various healthcare levels and aids in avoiding resource wastage, pooling of resources, providing quick information and response with better quality and efficiency in comparison to IDSP. The ingenuity of the platform lies in the integration of Geographic Information System (GIS) enhanced data representation and geo-tagging of symptomatic cases and health facilities which makes follow-up and surveillance so much easier. With near real-time data reporting, raising event and outbreak alerts becomes a cakewalk which in turn helps in timely intervention and prevention of a potential disaster. Also, all the patient details and his/her health-related information is made available in one place for the ease of the patients, data users as well as health planners. The incorporation of IT industries in government health programs will further revamp the rapidly emerging public-private partnerships bringing in an era of profitable utilization of health resources.
Though IHIP has several potential advantages, implementation of such an ambitious project might pose a significant challenge.[2] It is a known fact that the doctor-patient ratio or the health worker-patient ratio in India is very low and the medical fraternity is already overworked, given that, real-time reporting of forms as well as geo-tagging every household in a district in the absence of adequate human resources will be a tedious and arduous process. Secondly, training of the paramedical and the medical staff will be mandatory for the smooth operation of the program. While proper implementation of the project might take time in light of the above problems, still, one can inarguably conclude that its pros will always outweigh the cons. The way forward should be a strategic and phased introduction of IHIP, with efficient training of manpower and proper utilization of infrastructure and resources to facilitate better continuity of care and diagnosis and prevention of epidemic-prone diseases.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
REFERENCES
1. MOHFW Integrated Health Information Platform Available from:
https://ihip.nhp.gov.in/idsp/#!/login Last accessed on 2022 Jun 30.
2. Ka M, Periyasamy AG, Venkatesh U, Kishore J. A situation model of integrated health information platform in India:An anticipated review. Int J Community Med Public Health 2020;7:1197–200.
