IMCI App Advances Accuracy and Accountability in Child Healthcare
A new digital initiative titled IMCI App has been developed to enhance accuracy, save time, and reduce costs in managing childhood illnesses across Bangladesh. The app has been jointly created by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Save the Children Bangladesh.
The app is integrated with the country’s national digital health platforms—DHIS2, Open SRP, and OpenMRS.
Implemented as a pilot project in Barishal district, the IMCI App has significantly improved the diagnosis, treatment, and referral process for child patients at the field level, according to local health officials.
The DGHS and Save the Children Bangladesh jointly presented their research findings and field experiences at a national dissemination event held at the DGHS conference room in Dhaka on Monday, 27 October.
Government officials, representatives from development partners, digital health experts, and implementing agencies attended the event to discuss the app’s effectiveness, field experiences, and its potential for nationwide expansion.
Research findings revealed that during the pilot phase in Barishal, the app proved to be a successful example of digital transformation in child healthcare. Following the app’s clinical guidance has substantially reduced diagnostic and treatment errors. Data collected through the app is instantly uploaded to the system, eliminating the need for handwritten reports. The dashboard-based data system—from union to national level—has made decision-making faster and more evidence-based, while automation has saved both time and cost, enhancing the overall quality of healthcare. Additionally, improved follow-up and monitoring of children’s health outcomes in remote areas have strengthened accountability.
The research team from Save the Children and Professor Shafiun N. Shimul of the Institute of Health Economics, University of Dhaka, shared their experiences with the app, stating that “The IMCI App enhances patient data tracking, monitoring, and accountability—especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas.”
Health Services Division Secretary Md. Saidur Rahman attended the event as the chief guest. He said, “Every year, many children die from preventable causes. Through this app, timely disease identification, accurate diagnosis, proper treatment, referral, and medication are becoming possible, which is highly commendable. If implemented nationwide, every child in Bangladesh will benefit.”
Expressing gratitude to Save the Children, he added that such collaborative initiatives could significantly reduce child mortality across the country.
DGHS Director General Professor Dr. Md. Abu Zafar remarked, “Children constitute 40 percent of Bangladesh’s total population. Our goal for 2030 is to ensure health security for all, and to achieve that, coordination at the grassroots level is crucial. The IMCI App can be implemented nationwide. Its success has been made possible through the collective efforts of CHCPs, SACMOs, and all related health workers.”
Save the Children Bangladesh Country Director Suman Sengupta said, “The IMCI App has great potential to enhance Bangladesh’s healthcare system. It has proven effective in early diagnosis, treatment, and referral processes. Save the Children is grateful to the Ministry of Health and DGHS for their support, and we are committed to applying the lessons learned from this implementation research.”
He added, “We will seek further donor funding for similar initiatives. We are proud and grateful to have successfully implemented this project in Barishal Division.”
In conclusion, the DGHS and Save the Children reaffirmed their commitment to expanding digital innovations to ensure quality child healthcare nationwide. They stated that the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) App is a digital tool developed in alignment with Bangladesh’s national IMCI guidelines. It assists healthcare workers in classifying, treating, and referring common childhood illnesses such as pneumonia, diarrhea, malnutrition, fever, and ear infections among children aged 0–5 years.
Research indicates that this digital transformation will not only strengthen child healthcare but also make Bangladesh’s public health system more efficient and data-driven.
