title: Implementation of information and communication technologies for health in Bangladesh.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bangladesh has yet to develop a fully integrated health information system infrastructure that is critical to guiding policy development and planning.
  
  
  METHODS
  Initial pilot telemedicine and eHealth programmes were not coordinated at national level. However, in 2011, a national eHealth policy was implemented.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bangladesh has made substantial improvements to its health system. However, the country still faces public health challenges with limited and inequitable access to health services and lack of adequate resources to meet the demands of the population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2008, eHealth services were introduced, including computerization of health facilities at sub-district levels, internet connections, internet servers and an mHealth service for communicating with health-care providers. Health facilities at sub-district levels were provided with internet connections and servers. In 482 upazila health complexes and district hospitals, an mHealth service was set-up where an on-duty doctor is available for patients at all hours to provide consultations by mobile phone. A government operated telemedicine service was initiated and by 2014, 43 fully equipped centres were in service. These centres provide medical consultations by qualified physicians to patients visiting rural and remote community clinics and union health centres.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite early pilot interventions and successful implementation, progress in adopting eHealth strategies in Bangladesh has been slow. There is a lack of common standards on information technology for health, which causes difficulties in data management and sharing among different databases. Limited internet bandwidth and the high cost of infrastructure and software development are barriers to adoption of these technologies.
authors.affiliation: Center for Control of Chronic Diseases, International Center for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B), 68 Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Sarani, Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh .
authors.forename: Sheik Mohammed Shariful
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.affiliation: Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia .
authors.forename: Reshman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tabassum
mesh_terms: D001459:Bangladesh; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008490:Medical Informatics / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D017149:Private Sector; D017150:Public Sector; D019035:Rural Health Services; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*