India has begun piloting a new digital platform that tracks the routine immunizations of mothers and babies across India.
Called U-WIN, the government’s Universal Immunization Program (UIP) digitized online system provides protection against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases to some 26.7 million children newborns and 29 million expectant mothers each year.
Through this, a record of all vaccinations of pregnant women and their newborns as well as their birth outcomes will be established. It will remind them of their upcoming vaccinations and automatically track dropouts.
Digital registration to the portal is already underway in pilot areas, including two counties in each state and the Union Territory.
WHY IT IMPORTANT
U-WIN, clones the Co-WIN platform that has been used to track COVID-19 vaccinations, is being introduced with the aim of increasing protection of pregnant women and infants from preventable diseases, such as polio, measles and rubella, according to a news report.
It digitizes the vaccination process against such diseases, allowing UIP beneficiaries to book vaccinations and receive their certificates instantly through the online portal.
There are also plans to create immunization cards for beneficiaries and link them to their Ayushman Bharat Heath Account to streamline sharing of health information with healthcare providers.
For healthcare professionals and immunization program managers, U-WIN also digitizes the immunization session planning process. It equips them with real-time access to data on vaccination sessions and coverage, as well as allowing real-time updating and tracking of each beneficiary’s immunization status.
BIGGER BACKGROUND
Late last year, it was revealed that the Indian government has a plan to upgraded CoWIN platform to track vaccination against common preventable diseases after a spike in cases.
CoWIN is considered the “jewel” of the Digital India Initiative. Launched in January 2021, the locally developed platform allows Indian citizens to book their vaccination schedules and download their certificates in digital form. The government, considering this technology a digital public good, created its API open source globally six months after it went live.
