Information and Communication Technology Agency | Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan Hospitals To Go Paperless

Monday, 16 January 2012 12:01

For the very first time in Sri Lanka, doctors in government hospitals will be able view a patient’s comprehensive medical records on their computer screen, all thanks to the newly developed Hospital Health Information Management System (HHIMS).
The HHIMS is a joint collaborative effort between the ICT agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) and the Ministry of Health. The initiative stemmed from the Government’s thrust to significantly improve service delivery to the citizens by using ICT.
According to Wasantha Deshapriya, ICTA Re-engineering Government Programme Director, the software has been tested in five hospitals – Karavanella, Mawanella, Endegoda, Kitugala, and Deriyanagala – in the Kegalle District for over six months. At present, it is now ready to be installed in other Government hospitals island-wide.
The Hospital Health Information Management System, is a free open source software that will enable doctors make accurate and well-informed diagnosis on their patients
By simply having a registration number, the hospital staff will dispense medication and carry out tests as per the doctor’s ‘prescription’ which is documented on the electronic patient record available to them on their computer screens.
“This user-friendly software enables accurate diagnosis and will be crucial in helping government hospitals go paperless. In addition, it also facilitates the production of many routine but essential hospital reports thus saving time and much paperwork. A positive indirect effect of the system is that the medical staff has more time to attend to their patients,” Deshapriya said.

Source: http://www.futuregov.asia/articles/2012/jan/04/sri-lankan-hospitals-go-paperless/

ICTA plays major role in Visa Online System

Thursday, 12 January 2012 09:29

The ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) played a major role in ‘Visa Online’ by linking the Lanka Gate Internet Payment Gateway (IPG) for making online payments. Also known as Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), Visa Online introduced in its trial version on October 01st , 2011 became regular procedure with the dawn of the New Year.
The Immigration and Emigration Department had introduced the trial version of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) facility. The ETA facility became fully operational from 1 January 2012 with its launch by the Department on that date.

According to the Immigration and Emigration Department, foreign nationals, who intend to visit Sri Lanka for Short Stay up to six months, must obtain ETA, prior to their arrival from 1st of January 2012. The ETA is issued through the on-line system. No passport copies, documents or photographs are required. There is no requirement to endorse the ETA in the passport. Nationals of Maldives and Singapore who visit Sri Lanka for short visits up to 30 days are exempted from ETA as reciprocities.
Foreign nationals who intend to visit Sri Lanka for Official or Diplomatic purposes should forward their applications to the Immigration and Emigration Department through relevant Sri Lanka Government Ministries and Agencies or Sri Lanka Overseas Missions. Gratis (Free of Charge) basis is applicable only for Diplomatic and Official passport holders. The Gratis ETA is granted for normal passport holders, if arrangements have been made between the Government of Sri Lanka and the respective countries. For personal visits, Diplomatic and Official passport holders should follow the normal ETA application procedure, Immigration and Emigration Department sources said.
The on line visa system for tourists arriving into the country was introduced instead of the hitherto implemented on arrival visa. Accordingly all visitors to Sri Lanka including transit passengers will have to apply for travel authorization online prior to their visit to the country.

Govt. committed to see all benefit from IT: Minister Siyambalapitiya

Monday, 02 January 2012 14:27

The Government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa aims at seeing everyone use IT in their living for greater comfort and ease, says Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya.

The Minister said so while participating in the launch of the issue of copies of birth, marriage and death certificates in a few minutes in the Polonnaruwa District recently.
Speaking further at the inauguration held at the Polonnaruwa District Secretariat, Minister Siyambalapitiya said that there would be a huge transformation in the country’s information technology sector soon.

Recalling the assignment of ICT to a new Ministry and its responsibilites the Minister said: “At the cabinet reshuffle in November 2010 the President gave us several responsibilities. While attempt is made for Sri Lanka to become the Wonder of Asia by 2016, His Excellency instructed us to make the ICT literacy of Sri Lanka which is currently about 35 per cent, become 75 per cent by 2016. Another challenge the President asked us to meet was to generate 200,000 new ICT-based jobs by 2016. Making Sri Lanka’s current IT-BPO industry revenue reach US $ 1 billion by 2016 is another challenge the President has instructed us to meet.