Digital health during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China in December 2019. The virus rapidly spread in different countries across the globe. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared it as a pandemic on the 11th March 2020.1 The pandemic has revealed many areas of public health preparedness those are lacking both in developed and developing countries. Digital interventions provide many opportunities for strengthening health systems.2 It could be a vital resources and could play a critical role in global response to this public health emergency. Digital health is the use of digital information and communication technologies for efficient and timely delivery of health care services, aimed at promoting and protecting the health of the individuals and communities. Furthermore, digital technologies are also being used for conducting monitoring and surveillance of the health programmes, health education, research, development of human resources including continued professional development, risk analysis speacially the risk commucation. Data being generated through services, research, monitoring and surveillance are also used for health management and decision making. Bangladesh Med Res Counc Bull 2020; 46(2): 66-67