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U-Win: A Digital Revolution in Childhood Vaccination
Context:
The U-WIN portal, modeled on the lines of Co-WIN for the COVID-19 vaccine, is set to be launched nationwide by the end of August. It aims to manage routine immunization through an electronic registry digitally.
About U-Win:
- India’s Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) is a part of the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Program under the National Health Mission (NHM).
- It provides free vaccinations to all pregnant women and children in India.
- The platform captures each & every vaccination event of all pregnant women & children under UIP.
- It is currently in a pilot phase across states (except West Bengal) in 64 districts.
- The portal generates automatic SMS alerts to parents reminding them of upcoming vaccination dates and locations.
- It aims to reduce the number of “zero-dose” children, especially among migrant workers, by making vaccination records portable across villages, cities, and states.
- The portal also helps identify unvaccinated children and the reasons behind it, enabling targeted interventions to improve coverage.
- It maintains individual vaccination records, which is crucial during outbreaks like measles.
- Age-appropriate immunisation is provided against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases as per the National Immunisation Schedule (NIS).
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- Nationally against 11: Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Rubella, severe Tuberculosis, Rotavirus Diarrhoea, Hepatitis B, Meningitis & Pneumonia (caused by Haemophilus influenzae type B and Pneumococcal pneumonia).
- Sub-nationally against 1 (endemic districts only): Japanese Encephalitis.
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- Challenges include a lack of dedicated vaccine storage facilities and patchy internet connectivity.
- Healthcare Worker Benefits: Digital recording of vaccination events for efficient record-keeping.
Implications:
- It is a crucial step toward halving the number of zero-dose children by 2030.
- It will serve as the single source of information for immunisation services, recording pregnancy details, newborn registration, and vaccination status.
