Digital birth registration vital

The introduction of digital birth registration is a welcome shift to the use of technology to ease this vital service. Children will be assigned unique personal identifiers (UPI) from birth. The manual system has been cumbersome for people who have to travel long distances to the registration centres.

The transition will be a significant milestone in modernising the service and a boon to the marginalised rural or low-income populations. The high fees charged and travel costs are a big burden on parents. With the transition, they will no longer need to travel long distances to registration centres, saving both travel costs and time. Equally important is the plan to scrap the birth certificate fees.

The service will be integrated with 7,500 public hospitals. Private hospitals will also be brought on board through the Social Health Authority (SHA). Those who need paper birth certificates can have them downloaded and printed.

Registration is important. It provides the first legal proof of identity, age and citizenship. It leads to obtaining a national identity card upon attaining the age of majority and a passport. A birth certificate is often required to enrol in school and access public health care and vaccination campaigns. The registration must be done properly and accurately.

At the same time, birth data allows the government to plan accurately and fund public infrastructure such as schools and health facilities.

While the shift is highly beneficial, there are some critical hurdles. Most families in the remote areas lack smartphones, internet connectivity, or the digital literacy to use online portals. They cannot access the system independently and should, therefore, be assisted.

The government must also give an assurance on the safety of people’s sensitive personal data. Safeguarding this from cyber threats and any other unauthorised access requires surveillance and strict privacy laws.

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