P&SHD, NADRA to increase birth, death registrations

LAHORE:The Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department (P&SHD) and the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) have bolstered to increase birth registration through the NADRA-P&SHD joint initiative.

The P&SHD has taken a revolutionary step by integrating birth and death registration across Punjab. The P&SHD signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NADRA to facilitate this integration at all Basic Health Units (BHUs) and Rural Health Centres (RHCs) in the province.

The signing ceremony was held at the P&SHD committee room, here Thursday. Punjab Minister for P&SHD Khawaja Imran Nazir, Special Secretary (Ops) Muhammad Iqbal and the Director of NADRA Col (Retd) Saqib Mehmood signed the accord.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for P&SHD Khawaja Imran Nazir stated that digitalising birth and death records at the primary healthcare level is a significant milestone for P&SHD. Punjab is the only province sharing this data directly with NADRA, allowing citizens to obtain birth certificates promptly. The minister emphasised the role of Lady Health Workers in raising awareness among citizens. The digitisation initiative, which includes record sharing with NADRA, will facilitate a paperless system. He also announced that government hospitals now maintain digital records for all patients, including those in outpatient departments (OPD) and pediatric wards. He highlighted that these digital records would enable the development of better strategies for understanding the causes, factors, and prevention of diseases. Integrating data with the Local Government and Community Development Department for birth and death certification will enhance the immunisation coverage of newborns, particularly in underserved and lagging areas, thereby improving healthcare facilities in these regions.

On this occasion, Director NADRA, Saqib Mehmood, emphasised the importance of digitising birth and death data for future digital censuses.