The Ministry of Health, with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO), launched the Bhutan Health Research Portal (BHRP) on April 9.

According to the WHO Bhutan, the platform offers a unique opportunity to streamline research governance by facilitating online submissions and approvals and to track research projects.

It added that BHRP will have immense benefits, where online processing will ensure that research proposals are reviewed and approved efficiently. The platform will inform investment in health research, including optimal allocation.

Research reports and protocols will be housed in a central repository, providing a valuable knowledge base to inform future research priorities.

The BHRP will also foster effective use of research evidence in health planning and policy formulation.

Director of the Department of Public Health at the Ministry of Health, Karma Jamtsho, said that the BHRP will play a role in building the health-related research capacity of healthcare workers and promoting a research ecosystem in Bhutan.

The WHO Representative to Bhutan, Dr Bhupinder Kaur Aulakh, commended the health ministry for this important initiative. She emphasized on the WHO’s commitment to promote health research and use of research evidence to inform policy and planning.