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The government should set up a knowledge hub that could be used by the relevant authorities to ensure efficient policymaking amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
“Despite all the sufferings brought on by Covid-19, a positive side of the pandemic was that Bangladesh made headway in data collection and usage,” said Debapriya Bhattacharya, a distinguished fellow of the CPD.
The progress made in this regard is quite promising but the quality of data needs to be improved while real-time updates are necessary.
For example, a disaggregated analysis should be conducted to realise the actual class-wise infection levels of Covid-19, he added.
The government has two platforms for collecting data on Covid-19 — the Covid dashboard and Surokkha dashboard — but a single platform for related information is needed.
Besides, the government should engage local experts, academics, non-government organisations, and researchers when making policy decisions.
Bhattacharya also recommended that the data collected should be more graphically represented so that it can be easily used by those who need them.
Prof Meerjady Sabrina Flora, additional director general (planning and development) of the health directorate, said a culture has created that data is necessary to make policies.
The government decided to announce countrywide or zonal lockdowns based on Covid-related data and as the culture has been created now, it should be improved.
“If we could get other economic data along with health related data, then policy decisions could be much better,” she said.
The government is doing many things to curb the spread of Covid-19 but data on this is not available.
Take for instance how the government is conducting antibody tests among the masses but many researchers do not know about it.
“So, the information gap should be reduced,” Flora added.
Prof Dr Rashid-E-Mahbub, former president of the Bangladesh Medical Association, said people’s food habits, personal care, and social life have changed due to the pandemic.
So, accurate data on how it has changed is necessary.
“Otherwise, effective policy making would be difficult in the future,” he added.
AM Zakir Hussain, former director of Primary Health Care and Disease Control, said awareness regarding data collection has soared but much more data, such as penetration of herd immunity, vaccine efficacy and so on, is needed.
“Pfizer’s effectiveness is at the highest level in the world but it was very low in Israel so we don’t know which one is actually more effective,” he said.
An approach has evolved in the government that all ministries need to work together and share data during the pandemic time, according to Anir Chowdhury, policy advisor of the a2i Program of the ICT Division.
The whole of society approach also came forward, he said, adding that awareness on the importance of data collection has risen.
Policy makers realise that data can tell a story that points them in the right direction.
“So, we need a data sharing framework within the government and between public and private organisations,” Chowdhury said.
Firdausi Qadri, emeritus scientist at the Infectious Diseases Division of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease and Research Bangladesh, and Prof Mustafizur Rahman, distinguished fellow of the CPD, also spoke at the event.
(TDS)
