The Government of India (GoI) has launched U-WIN, a platform to digitize India’s Universal Immunization Program (UIP) in a pilot mode in two districts from each State and Union Territory (UT).
- The GoI initiated this move due to the effectiveness of the Co-WIN platform, and replicated it in establishing this digital registration for routine vaccinations.
All states and UTs have been notified of the U-WIN features and objectives for the pilot in 65 districts, and staff and healthcare workers have been trained on all U-WIN modules.
U-WIN Platform
i.The U-WIN platform is a replica of Co-WIN, which was introduced in January 2021 in 65 districts and has been the “digital backbone” for India’s COVID-19 immunization programme.
ii.The U-WIN platform will be used to register and vaccinate every pregnant woman, record the delivery outcome, register every newborn delivery, administer birth doses, and conduct all subsequent vaccination events.
- The platform will serve as the exclusive repository of information for immunization services, including reporting on antigen-wise coverage, updates to vaccination status, and planning of routine immunization (RI) sessions.
iii.All pregnant women and newborns will be digitally registered in order to provide customized tracking for vaccination, reminders for next doses, and follow-up on dropouts.
Key Points:
i.Real-time data on vaccination coverage and routine immunization sessions will be generated by healthcare workers and programme managers, enabling improved planning and distribution of vaccines.
ii.A vaccination acknowledgement and immunization card connected to an Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) ID would be generated for pregnant women and children.
iii.All states and districts will have access to a common database to track and vaccinate beneficiaries.
iv.The U-WIN portal also enables citizens to search for and schedule appointments for nearby immunization centers.
v.Beneficiaries will receive certificates immediately and can download them after the entire immunization programme is digitized. These certificates will be stored in Digi-Lockers.   Â
Universal Immunization Programme (UIP)
i.The UIP was first introduced as an ‘Expanded Programme of Immunization’ (EPI) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) in 1978.
- It was renamed as ‘Universal Immunization Programme’ (UIP), when it got upgraded beyond the urban regions in 1985. It is fully funded by the GoI.
- Through the UIP, the MoH&FW administers several vaccines to infants, children, and pregnant women.
ii.UIP is one of the world’s largest public health programmes, addressing roughly 2.7 crore newborns and 3.04 crore pregnant women each year, with over 1.2 crore immunization sessions carried out.
Under UIP, free immunization is provided against 12 vaccine preventable diseases.
- Nationally against 9 diseases: Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Rubella, severe form of Childhood Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, Meningitis & Pneumonia caused by Hemophilus Influenza Type B.
- Sub-nationally against 3 diseases – Rotavirus diarrhoea, Pneumococcal Pneumonia, Japanese Encephalitis (JE vaccine is provided only in endemic districts).
iii.The under-5 death mortality rate in India decreased from 45 per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 35 per 1,000 live births in 2019, making it the most cost-effective public health initiative.
Click here to know more about UIP
Recent Related News:
A Special Bulletin on Maternal Mortality in India 2018-20 was released by the office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. As per it, the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has declined from 130 per lakh live births in 2014-16 to 97 per lakh live births in 2018-20.
About Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW):
Union Minister – Mansukh Mandaviya (Rajya Sabha Gujarat)
Minister of State (MoS) – Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar (Dindori, Maharashtra)
