The Union government intends to repurpose the Co-WIN platform for India’s Universal Immunization Program and other national health programmes, while continuing to record Covid vaccinations and issuing certificates.
The Universal Immunization Programme’s (UIP) immunisation record is now kept manually.
“Once Co-WIN is repurposed to include the UIP, the entire vaccination system will become digitised, allowing for easier tracking of beneficiaries and real-time monitoring,” Dr. R.S. Sharma, Co-WIN chief and CEO of the National Health Authority, told PTI.
“It will eliminate the need to preserve a physical record. Beneficiaries will receive certificates on the spot once the immunisation programme is digitised. They can also get a copy of it. Digi-lockers will be used to store these certificates ” he went on to clarify.
According to Dr. Sharma, proper record-keeping aids in the creation of an evidence base that helps in the planning of effective treatments.
The Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) is one of the world’s largest immunisation campaigns, aimed at protecting children and pregnant women from preventable diseases.
The government offers free vaccinations for 12 vaccine-preventable diseases, including polio, diphtheria, tetanus, measles, and hepatitis B.
An official emphasised the necessity of an integrated immunisation information system, saying it aids in the efficient management of vaccination programmes at the national, state, and district levels.
According to the official, data provided at the person level can be compiled at the population level and made available to individuals involved in developing public health policy.
“Since Co-WIN has proven its worth in COVID-19 vaccination, it has been decided to bring UIP under the ambit of this platform, even though Covid vaccination will continue to be recorded on the portal,” the official explained.
Family planning, as well as child and maternal health, are some of the additional national health programmes that could be incorporated in the portal.
