ID2020 and Bangladesh government issue RFP for biometrics-linked healthcare digital ID

A request for proposals (RFP) has been published as part of a collaborative effort to provide a portable, biometrics-backed digital ID for healthcare to children in Bangladesh.

Two ministries within the Government of Bangladesh have partnered with ID2020 and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to implement a program providing biometric enrollment and digital ID to infants when they receive routine immunizations, according to an announcement on LinkedIn.

Less than 40 percent of children in Bangladesh receive a birth certificate before the age of five, but the country has managed to achieve a 97 percent vaccination rate for preventable diseases.

“The majority of those living without identification are children under the age of fourteen who have not received a birth certificate,” writes ID2020 Head of Advocacy and Communications Ethan Veneklasen. “As a result, they lack access to basic legal protections and social services, such as education and healthcare, are unable to participate fully as citizens and voters, and are systematically excluded from the modern economy.”

The program is intended to increase unique identification coverage in support of UN sustainable development goal (SDG) 16.9 and reduce duplication of health IDs. It is also intended to facilitate the re-identification of individuals and recovery of personal records with biometrics, in case hard copies are lost, drive improvements in vaccination efficiency and equity, support continuity of case across state and non-state healthcare providers, and create a digital ID ecosystem to facilitate access to federal and other systems.

Providing digital ID linked to biometric for very young children has been a persistent challenge, though custom solutions have been developed to address it.

The partners also hope to create a model than can be replicated in other countries to scale digital ID delivery

The program is divided into four phases, beginning soon and concluding in late 2025. The pre-qualification Round 1 closes on May 13, and the deadline for vendor questions for Round 1 is May 28. The vendor will be selected by July 8, 2021.

Article Topics

Bangladesh  |  biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  birth registration  |  children  |  digital identity  |  ID2020  |  identity management  |  infant biometrics  |  SDG 16.9