Manama: The Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA), in partnership with the Ministry of Health and healthcare entities, has announced the successful completion of the Births and Deaths System. This advancement now offers eServices through electronic channels, including the Bahrain National Portal (bahrain.bh).
According to Bahrain News Agency, the initiative is designed to improve the efficiency of birth and death registration by electronically integrating relevant entities and databases. This digitization aims to enhance government services for citizens and residents, aligning with Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030.
Mohammed Ali Al Qaed, iGA Chief Executive, remarked that the digital transformation of the Births and Deaths System represents a significant milestone in Bahrain's digital journey. This effort aligns with the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the guidance of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to propel digital transformation in the government sector. The transformation supports Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030 by enhancing electronic integration, service quality, and efficiency to meet citizens' needs and contribute to sustainable development goals under the Government Plan (2023-2026).
Al Qaed also acknowledged the support of General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Information and Communication Technology (MCICT), for national projects led by the Authority, especially those related to healthcare services. The collaborative efforts with the Ministry of Health and public and private healthcare entities have been instrumental in enhancing technical integration, completing birth and death projects, and speeding up implementation phases.
The development phase of the system began in 2019 when the responsibility for birth and death registration was transferred from the Ministry of Health to the Information and eGovernment Authority. This phase involved a comprehensive study of existing procedures, their re-engineering, and updating the executive regulations for the new Births and Deaths Law. The updates include new legal reporting periods for births and deaths and associated regulations for cases exceeding legal deadlines. Awareness campaigns were also initiated to inform stakeholders and the public about the updated law and executive regulations.
In the second phase, electronic archiving of birth and death records was implemented to ensure secure digital storage, protecting them from damage and enabling immediate retrieval. This reduces time and effort, expedites requests, and improves the user experience of eServices.
The third phase saw the development of a new integrated system for births and deaths, connecting all relevant entities, including public and private hospitals and civil registries. The National Birth System was launched in 2022 across all hospitals in Bahrain, while the National Death Reporting System was launched in 2024 for reporting deaths in hospitals. User feedback was incorporated during development, considering updated regulations for birth and death registration and certificate issuance.
Key features of the system include eTransformation for reporting births and deaths in Bahrain's hospitals, enabling instant electronic notifications without needing to visit the Authority's office. Applications are submitted after receiving notifications from the Births and Deaths Registration Office, ensuring immediate updates to family data in the Population Registry and verifying accuracy through integration with four government systems. Additional features include registering deceased newborns and issuing birth and death certificates via bahrain.bh.
The Births and Deaths System has introduced five new electronic services: Request Death Certificate, Modification of Death Certificate Details by Court Order, Verify Death certificate by QR code, Application Management for Birth Certificate, Application Management for Death Certificate, and Request for Birth Certificate Outside the Kingdom of Bahrain. These services complement existing ones on the National Portal bahrain.bh, such as Request for Birth Certificate, Replacement/Extract of Birth Certificate, Replacement/Extract of Death Certificate, Modification of Birth Certificate Details by Court Order, Print Death Report, and Verify Death Report.
The completion of this system supports the government's efforts to reduce expenses, streamline procedures, and accelerate transaction processing. This minimizes the documentation cycle for accessing various healthcare services, saving time and effort, and enhancing the healthcare sector's efficiency.