In a significant stride towards Pakistan’s digital transformation, the Government of Pakistan, through the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), has officially launched a digital Birth and Death Notification System across healthcare facilities nationwide. This initiative is a key component of the government’s broader “Udaan Pakistan” program, aimed at modernizing civil registration and vital statistics to improve governance and boost economic activity through technology.
Under the framework of the National Registration and Biometric Policy, NADRA is spearheading efforts to overhaul Pakistan’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system by deploying digital tools at hospitals and healthcare centres. These tools enable real-time, accurate, and comprehensive recording of births and deaths at the point of occurrence, ensuring that vital life events are captured with precision and immediacy.
This digital shift promises to strengthen the foundation for the government’s larger digital ecosystem initiatives. Accurate and timely birth and death data will support transformative national projects, including the rollout of Digital ID services and expansion of the Digital Economy. Additionally, this system forms a critical pillar of the Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP), a collaborative effort supported by the World Bank and coordinated among various national stakeholders.
To facilitate the nationwide rollout, NADRA has entered into formal agreements with provincial governments as well as regional administrations in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). These partnerships are crucial for integrating the digital registration system within local healthcare infrastructure.
A recent signing ceremony held in Karachi highlighted this collaboration, with key attendees including Saeed Ghani, Sindh’s Provincial Minister for Local Government, Housing, and Town Planning. The agreement was formalized by the Sindh Secretary of Health and Secretary of Local Government, alongside NADRA’s Director General for Karachi, marking an important milestone in Sindh’s participation in the digital registration rollout.
Similarly, a parallel agreement was signed in Quetta between NADRA and the Government of Balochistan, with representation from the Provincial Secretary of Health, Secretary of Local Government, and NADRA’s Director General for Balochistan. These agreements reflect a unified federal-provincial effort to implement the system countrywide.
Further agreements are expected soon with other provinces as well as with AJ&K and GB, signaling a rapid expansion of this digital platform.
By integrating the digital birth and death registration system at the hospital level, Pakistan is embracing a technology-driven governance model that enhances data accuracy, transparency, and efficiency. This initiative not only facilitates better policy-making and resource allocation but also lays a critical foundation for the country’s ongoing digital economy and ID service projects.
Overall, the launch of this system marks a key milestone in Pakistan’s journey towards a modern, data-driven public service framework, promising to improve citizen services and contribute to sustainable economic growth under the Udaan Pakistan initiative.
