Our ongoing and completed projects

Overview: The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP), through the USAID-funded Promoting the Quality of Medicines Plus (PQM+) program, is collaborating with the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) to enhance regulatory efficiency and pharmaceutical governance in Bangladesh. This project is focused on achieving WHO maturity level-3 for DGDA and WHO-prequalification for the National Drug Control Laboratory (NDCL), ensuring that Bangladesh strengthens its regulatory framework for quality medicines.

Objectives: The objectives of the project are to collaborate with the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) and relevant stakeholders to define clear development goals, and to develop a digital architectural blueprint that will guide the transformation process. A comprehensive digitization roadmap will be created to align with DGDA’s strategic vision, ensuring a cohesive approach to digital initiatives. Additionally, an in-depth assessment of the current IT infrastructure will be conducted to identify areas for improvement, and expert recommendations will be provided for the implementation of electronic systems within the regulatory framework. The project will also focus on integrating cross-functional digital solutions to streamline operations and enhance efficiency in regulatory processes.

Contribution: PQM+ and IntraHealth will assist DGDA in developing a revised IT departmental structure to support the implementation and sustainability of digital initiatives. This initiative will align with DGDA’s five-year strategic plan, improving transparency, data integrity, and overall efficiency of regulatory functions. Ultimately, this project will contribute to the availability of safe, high-quality medicines in Bangladesh, fostering public health and regulatory excellence.

Execution: JBRSOFT is working closely with DGDA to develop the digital architectural blueprint and comprehensive roadmap for the project. This involves conducting a thorough assessment of the current IT infrastructure, identifying existing gaps, and providing expert recommendations for the implementation of electronic systems. Additionally, JBRSOFT is facilitating the integration of cross-functional digital solutions to ensure data integrity and regulatory efficiency. Through these efforts, JBRSOFT aims to support the alignment of DGDA's systems with the National Digital Health Strategy, enabling sustainable digital transformation and enhancing the regulatory framework for the long-term benefit of Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical sector.

The objective of a Regulatory Information Management System (RIMS) is to automate, streamline, and digitize the regulatory processes and work routines at a National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA). OpenRIMS, a robust open-source platform, serves this purpose by adhering to Common Standards for Regulatory Information Management. OpenRIMS is Free and Open Source Software (FOSS), designed to be highly adaptable and customizable. Through its web-based interface, it can be easily localized to fit the specific needs and regulatory procedures of any country, including language preferences, to ensure effective integration within the local context.

JBRSOFT is collaborating with the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) to provide a comprehensive range of services. Our role involves the seamless installation and deployment of OpenRIMS modules, ensuring their full functionality for regulatory process automation. Additionally, we are responsible for customizing the system to meet the DGDA's specific needs, providing ongoing technical assistance, end-user support, and ensuring smooth integration with existing workflows. Furthermore, we will prepare and deliver detailed documentation to facilitate the understanding, use, and long-term sustainability of OpenRIMS, ensuring that the DGDA can independently manage and operate the system with ease.

Our aim is to enhance the efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness of regulatory processes, enabling the DGDA to better manage the lifecycle of pharmaceuticals and improve public health outcomes through digitalization.

JBRSOFT has been tasked with designing and developing a comprehensive Content Management System (CMS) for the Bangladesh Biosafety and Biosecurity Society (BBBS) website, tailored to meet the specific needs and requirements of the client. The platform integrates a user-friendly interface and flexible tools to ensure smooth content management and seamless navigation.

In addition to the CMS, JBRSOFT is building a dynamic and feature-rich online training portal. This portal facilitates easy enrollment for participants, offers secure payment options, tracks course completion, and automates certificate generation. It also allows for efficient course management, enabling administrators to upload content, track progress, and manage learner data. Furthermore, the portal supports question authoring, enabling instructors to create custom assessments and quizzes for learners.

Beyond training, the platform will serve as an integrated solution for conference management. It will enable seamless registration for attendees, management of event schedules, resource allocation, and speaker profile creation. The platform also includes a certification system, ensuring that attendees receive official recognition for their participation, and a robust payment system to handle transaction processing.

This all-in-one platform is designed to streamline operations, enhance user experience, and provide the Bangladesh Biosafety and Biosecurity Society with a reliable, scalable, and efficient solution for both training and conference management needs.

JBRSOFT is undertaking a pivotal project in Cox's Bazar, a district in Bangladesh confronted with significant challenges including climate risks, food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty. The arrival of Rohingya refugees has placed immense strain on local communities, infrastructure, and services, notably in the Teknaf, Ukhiya, Chakaria, and Cox's Bazar Sadar sub-districts. Additionally, the escalating impacts of climate change and frequent natural disasters have made agricultural infrastructure highly vulnerable, severely impeding farming efforts for local practitioners. This has led to a noteworthy decline in agricultural productivity over time, intensifying threats to food security in the region.

In collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP), BRAC has launched a project to address pressing concerns. This initiative is focused on enhancing agricultural infrastructure for vulnerable farmers in the four sub-districts of Cox's Bazar. The primary goal is to strengthen agricultural productivity and ensure food security within the designated project areas. The project's scope encompasses an evaluation of how improvements in agricultural infrastructure impact crop production, with a special emphasis on safeguarding the food resources of the most vulnerable farmers. To guarantee these positive outcomes, the project has prioritized capacity building for farmers through extension services and has worked to improve accessibility to agricultural infrastructure, including upgrading feeder roads, re-excavating canals, establishing riverside plantations, and enhancing culverts, drains, and water reservoirs, among other initiatives. Additionally, the project addresses the environmental implications of infrastructure development, particularly in catchment areas within Cox's Bazar district, with the aim of mitigating disaster risks.

JBRSOFT's focus lies in meticulously assessing the effects of agricultural infrastructure improvements on food security, providing valuable insights for further refinements based on feedback from direct beneficiaries. Specific objectives include evaluating the impact of these improvements on food security, appraising the environmental outcomes of infrastructure development to enhance agricultural production, offering constructive recommendations for ongoing improvement, conducting a thorough review of related project work provided by WFP/BRAC, formulating questionnaires for individual surveys, coordinating focus group discussions and key informant interviews, and conducting a pilot-test of the questionnaire before the final survey.

Since 2019, JBRSOFT has been in collaboration with the Pharmacy Council of Bangladesh (PCB) to enhance and streamline their automation system. Our partnership focuses on the continuous improvement and updating of the PCB’s existing automation system and database, ensuring it aligns with the evolving requirements of the PCB. We provide extensive support in troubleshooting application-level issues, ensuring the smooth functionality of the system, and enhancing the user experience by improving system usability and user-friendliness.

As part of our ongoing work, we maintain transaction records and prepare standard reports based on predefined templates, ensuring accurate and timely data retrieval. Additionally, we are responsible for developing various report functionalities as requested by PCB, enabling better monitoring and management of pharmaceutical data. We have also developed essential web APIs to integrate the PCB system with third-party applications, such as the Directorate General of Drug Administration’s (DGDA) database, facilitating seamless data sharing and coordination.

JBRSOFT continues to provide live support and ensure the efficient operation of the system through regular server maintenance and ongoing system developments. Our team’s goal is to deliver continuous enhancements that improve PCB’s operational efficiency and contribute to more effective pharmaceutical governance in Bangladesh.

PViMS, or the PharmacoVigilance Monitoring System, is a web-based application used to monitor the safety of medicines. The application was developed by the USAID-funded Systems for Improved Access to Pharmaceuticals and Services [SIAPS] program (2011-2018) and is implemented by the USAID-funded Medicines, Technologies, and Pharmaceutical Services [MTaPS] program (2018-2023), both led by Management Sciences for Health (MSH), a global health nonprofit. PViMS is maintained by MSH.

JBRSOFT is responsible for the further curstomization and implementation of the PViMS platform for Bangladesh. We have been re-structuring the entire system following the requirements of the Directorate General of Drug Administration including improvement the ADR/AEFI reporting and monitoring system by implementing PViMS as a national portal to be handed over to DGDA for routine use, assisting DGDA in customization and enhancement of the ADR/AEFI reporting and monitoring system (PViMS), accommodating new and updated reporting forms, and providing support for electronic data management, auto-generated trending of AEs and analysis.

Furthermore, we are working on the live dashboard, which will connect the system to the VigiFlow software in order to exchange required data (in a specific file format) with the WHO-Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC). Additionally, an online (live) report entry form with signalization of relevant fields was developed. We are also adding an editable PDF version of the report form, as well as additional tabs for guidance documents, newsletters, and suggestions/contact information. As part of the development, we have developed a few functionalities to store and retrieve information for users to access: training, visit/inspection, meeting information, signal detection, alert, RMP, reports for the Safety cell, DRM (Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring), TSC (Technical Subcommittee), ADRAC (Adverse Drug Reactions Advisory Committee), National AEFI committee, reports generated for VigiFlow, DGDA regulatory action report, templates for auto-gene.

The MTaPS Program supports the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) across 13 countries, helping build the capacity to protect against infectious disease threats while prioritizing global health security. Within GHSA's framework, the program focuses on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) containment through infection prevention and control (IPC), antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), and multisectoral coordination (MSC) on AMR.

In Bangladesh, the National Action Plan for AMR (NAP-AMR) 2017-2022 was developed, which includes a roadmap with the goal of creating a web-based system for document sharing as one of its outputs. While various sectors maintain individual web presences, there is currently no unified platform for AMR-related information. For instance, IEDCR regularly uploads AMR surveillance data collected from 9 sentinel hospital sites to its website, making the data publicly accessible. However, other sectors such as DLS, DOF, BLRI, and BARA are at different stages in their development of web-based information systems.

A workshop highlighted the need for a centralized web-based platform to consolidate and share AMR data across sectors. This was further emphasized by the Global Antibiotic Resistance Partnership (GARP) Bangladesh National Working Group. During a follow-up workshop on the NAP-AMR implementation status held on March 4, 2020, it was recommended that a public-facing web portal be developed to share AMR-related information across all sectors. A subsequent meeting, convened by CDC/DGHS on September 2, 2020, reiterated the need for an integrated system under one umbrella to prevent information gaps and duplication of efforts. The recommendation was to create a web-based AMR information-sharing platform for One Health stakeholders.

MTaPS/Bangladesh, in collaboration with CDC and DGHS, supported the development of national Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) for common infectious diseases. The process began with a review of disease patterns in Bangladesh to identify the most prevalent infectious diseases based on their public health burden. A core working group was established by CDC and DGHS, with MTaPS providing assistance in formulating the methodology for developing STGs. This methodology incorporated infectious diseases and antibiotics from the 2016, 2017, and 2018 editions of the Health Bulletins, as well as existing hospital antibiotic guidelines, and aligned these with the WHO AWaRe classification.

Templates were distributed to the core working group, which consisted of experts from various disciplines, to designate their current practices for both preferred and alternative drugs according to the WHO AWaRe classification. Based on this, the STGs were developed and subsequently reviewed by senior professional associations. Following this review, CDC and DGHS finalized the STG.

MTaPS will further support CDC and DGHS in the creation of a publicly accessible web-based platform for disseminating AMR information. Additionally, MTaPS will develop a mobile app version of the STG, ensuring it is in alignment with the finalized guidelines. This app will be designed to transform into a nationally recognized STG tool, supporting the broader adoption of the WHO AWaRe classification and building capacity among healthcare practitioners to enhance the use of these guidelines.

JBRSOFT has been providing comprehensive human resource support for the Pharmacy Council of Bangladesh (PCB) to customize and maintain their website and database, ensuring it meets the evolving needs of the organization. The project includes ongoing maintenance and updates of the PCB website and database in close coordination with Management Sciences for Health (MSH), to align with PCB’s requirements. This also involves managing online support, such as chatbots, to assist with general queries and user information updates, ensuring smooth backend operations.

In addition, we are tasked with troubleshooting both at the application level and user level to ensure optimal functionality. We work with MSH to provide training for PCB officials, helping them operate, support, and maintain the system in their daily operations. One of the key aspects of this project is to enhance the usability and user experience of the application interface, improving design, structure, and performance across all devices to reduce bounce rates.

Further responsibilities include maintaining transaction records and preparing reports based on predefined templates, while also developing customized report templates for better monitoring by PCB. We conduct cost assessments for API and app development, ensuring that these assessments align with the future needs of the PCB system.

To ensure data safety and continuity, regular backups of the website and database are conducted weekly, with frequency adjustments based on content updates. We implement strict application security measures to protect against threats such as XSS attacks, SQL injections, brute force attacks, DDoS attacks, and malware, while also blocking rogue IP addresses and monitoring logs for suspicious activities.

We ensure that all servers supporting the PCB website and its services are secured, with regular updates to the operating systems and firewalls. Periodic cache clearing, monitoring version updates of software services, and resolving bugs are also part of our ongoing responsibilities. Additionally, we focus on improving search engine optimization (SEO) to enhance the PCB website’s visibility on Google and provide maintenance support for existing functionalities.

By ensuring that all changes and updates are reflected in the user manual and verifying the compatibility and security of PCB-designated servers, we help PCB maintain a secure, efficient, and reliable automation system. All these processes are managed under strict version control using Git, ensuring a streamlined and organized approach to project execution.

JBRSOFT is providing comprehensive services for the installation, customization, and ongoing support of the DHIS2 platform for the management of slum people, household registration, migration management, and income & expenditure tracking. The project involves forking the DHIS2 platform builds for both server and mobile on the Yeldi cloud server. The installation and configuration of the DHIS2 platform are carried out on the Yeldi server, ensuring seamless integration with the project's requirements.

Project data is configured and created according to the shared documents and is made importable in XLS format for future migration purposes. We customize the Yeldi brand on the web dashboard, while configuring web access exclusively for report viewing. The dashboard is set up to display at least five key reports, providing a clear overview of project metrics. Additionally, Android Tracker Capture development is carried out to enable easy data entry on mobile devices.

Training is provided to ensure efficient user creation and access management, allowing users to view reports at various levels of permission. Stringent application security measures are implemented, protecting the system from XSS attacks, SQL injections, brute force attacks, DDoS attacks, malware, and sensitive file access. Preventive actions, such as blocking malicious IP addresses and securing directories, are also carried out to protect the system.

Regular server cache clearing is performed to maintain optimal performance, and modules for population registration, household registration, migration tracking, and income & expenditure tracking are developed. Additionally, a skill enhancement module is created to help users develop their abilities in handling the system. Through these efforts, JBRSOFT ensures a secure, efficient, and user-friendly system that meets the project's requirements.