The F.D.R.E Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Office of
the Prime Minister-National ID Program, has introduced a transformative
initiative that aligns with the Ministry’s commitment to enhance the efficiency
and effectiveness of health care services while improving patient experiences
throughout Ethiopia. In a statement, it noted that this initiative leverages the
country's flagship digital ID system as a foundation for Health registration
systems.
“The primary goal of this
joint effort between MOH and NIDP is to integrate the Ethiopian Digital ID
known as Fayda with the health sector, enabling all stakeholders and
beneficiaries to obtain a unique primary identification that will serve as a
foundation for providing subsequent services such as a unique patient index,
national health insurance schemes, workforce and professional licensing for
health practitioners, shared health records, and beyond,” it stated.
The statement revealed that the integration of Fayda into Ethiopia’s
health sector will serve as a pivotal
milestone in its mission to transform the Ethiopian health ecosystem into a
more efficient, transparent, and patient-centric system, adding that o
highlight some of the key areas that will see immediate benefits as a result of
this joint endeavor are community-based health insurance and the upcoming
social health insurance schemes that will benefit from real-time, secure, and
verifiable identity verification, thereby simplifying transactions, reducing
fraudulent claims, and ensuring beneficiaries are effectively served.
Fayda, it explained will also streamline the administration,
licensing, and credential verification processes for health care workers, along
with facilitating monitoring of their professional development and performance.
This will eliminate bureaucratic hurdles, foster transparency, and uphold
professional standards within the health sector.
“Furthermore, patients stand to benefit from Fayda as it
guarantees seamless interaction with healthcare services by making patient data
easily accessible, enabling accurate and improved delivery of health services.
This will promote a transparent and secure process, reducing wait times
associated with registration and record retrievals, ultimately enhancing the
overall quality of care” the statement said.
Recognizing the role of the health sector being a key stakeholder in
the Ethiopian social sector, the Ministry of Health and the Ethiopian National
ID Program are fully committed to ensuring and building inputs to the National
Digital ecosystem agenda.
“We firmly believe the
deployment of Fayda as a foundation for Health registration will significantly
enhance the quality and efficiency of Ethiopia's healthcare systems, bringing
us closer to our vision of a fully integrated digital healthcare ecosystem.
This initiative will support the 10 years’ development plan and the country’s
transition towards a homegrown economic reform.”
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
