Swastha Nepal : Development and Sustenance of Open Health Data Driven System in Nepal 

Abstract

Open data is the idea that certain data should be freely available to everyone to use and republish as they wish, without restrictions from copyright, patents or other mechanisms of control. Open health data provides an efficient way to understand and analyse the public health scenario and implement useful result in welfare of public health. The open health data is obtained from contributing users and health organization using various platforms on different computing devices. All of the data are integrated into central database. To eliminate differences between requesting platform, computing devices, and standardize the way open data is integrated and accessed, the system uses RESTful web services as an integrated interface for easier access of data to any user regardless of their platform or device.
Nepal is rich in natural diversity due to various herbs in different parts of Nepal. Those herbs are used by local people of given geographical area for improving their health issues. The created system harnesses knowledge, experience and medication (Ayurvedic, Western Medication) taken on any disease from perspective of various geographical area of Nepal using GPS based android app. Various interested health organization can contribute the system by adding their verified information about the disease for public awareness. Finally, the data is integrated and accessible to all users as per their need based on disease.
The developed system, Swastha Nepal, is unique and powerful which creates unified community knowledge on public health of Nepal which is open to every citizen independent of platform, computing devices they use and geographical location they live in.