Digital health services in Bangladesh—The need for a sustainable design framework

Abstract

AbstractBangladesh received the United Nations Award for DigitalHealth Development in 2011. Inspired by the recognition, the country has launched several digital health initiatives over the last decade. However, despite achievements in expanding information and communication technologies, recent studies show that current digital health services are difficult to use, fail to meet user needs, are subject to threats in data privacy and security, lack a robust digital infrastructure, and do not benefit from a cohesive policy and regulatory environment. As the country currently deals with the post‐COVID‐19 consequences, it is high time for its healthcare policymakers to address these challenges and take the necessary actions to establish a people‐centered framework for digital health service design and operations. In this commentary, we proposed a design framework for digital health services that address these ongoing challenges in the digital health services of Bangladesh. We believe the proposed framework stands to help Bangladesh and other coutnries attain sustainability.