The Online Vaccine Management Portal U-Win is set for launch later this month. It will serve as a permanent digital record for the vaccination and medication of over three crore pregnant women and nearly 2.7 crore children born each year, as announced by Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra on Friday.
The U-Win system, mirroring the COVID-19 vaccine management tool Co-WIN, is currently in pilot mode across all states and Union territories, except West Bengal. It tracks every vaccination event for pregnant women and children under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).
During the national conference on “Universal Access to Healthcare: Digital Solutions,” Chandra emphasized that the national digital mission aims to broaden healthcare access and bridge the gap between rural and urban areas. He praised the success of the Co-WIN and Aarogya Setu apps, which have facilitated over 220 crore vaccinations nationwide.
The Union government plans to replicate this successful model through the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. Chandra also mentioned ongoing efforts to integrate various portals, such as telemedicine, TeleManas, and eRaktKosh, into a unified platform.
Dr. V.K. Paul, Member (Health) of NITI Aayog, who inaugurated the conference, noted that significant transformations are occurring in India’s healthcare sector. He highlighted the importance of strengthening the primary healthcare system to reduce long-term healthcare burdens. Dr. Paul outlined five key principles for digital health solutions: leveraging digital technologies for widespread impact, developing new technologies like robotics and AI, avoiding an increase in the digital divide, ensuring accessibility for those with limited digital literacy, and safeguarding human rights and inclusivity.
Bharat Lal, Secretary General of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), emphasized that healthcare is a fundamental human right and crucial for realizing human potential. He noted that the NHRC’s role has expanded from economic to socio-cultural sectors, with a focus on health-related issues. Lal stressed that digital technologies offer significant potential for advancing universal healthcare and highlighted the NHRC’s involvement in various healthcare initiatives, including mental health and leprosy.
