In news : Currently, Co-WIN platform is being used for COVID-19 vaccination delivery in India
What is Co-WIN?
- Co-WIN is an extension of the government’s electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN), which was launched in 2015 for India’s universal immunization programme.
- Co-WIN aimed to reduce wastage of vaccines through improper cold storage, avoid vaccine stock-outs at inoculation centres and ensure availability of enough vaccines for all targeted children and pregnant women.
- The UN Development Programme (UNDP), which helped build eVIN, along with the IT ministry developed an extension of the module as a comprehensive cloud-based solution for covid-19 vaccination in India.
Documents required for registering on Co-WIN platform
Twelve photo-identity documents, including Voter ID, Aadhar card, driving license, passport and pension document, are required for self-registration on the Co-WIN website
Role of Co-WIN
- As per the guidelines issued to states recently, the Covid Vaccine Intelligence Network (Co-WIN) system–a digitalised platform will be used to track enlisted beneficiaries for the vaccination and anti-coronavirus vaccines on a real-time basis.
- The Covid-19 Vaccine Intelligence Network, or Co-WIN, is poised to play a crucial role in the delivery of the jabs.
- The tech platform will be used for rolling out and scaling up distribution systems for the vaccine in India
- It will health ministry to coordinate with the states as the data related to police officers and officials engaged in covid-19 containment, surveillance and associated activities have been fed into Co-WIN
Significance of Co-WIN in vaccine distribution
- This platform will be linked to existing IT platforms that are being used in the vaccination programme to allow complete end-to-end management of vaccine distribution.
- This includes tracking the transportation of doses from manufacturer to the beneficiary, maintaining digital records of vaccine stocks and remote monitoring of temperature at about 25,000 dedicated cold chain storage points through a smartphone app.
- It will allow real-time information on vaccine stocks and storage temperatures across all cold chain points.
- However, unlike eVIN, the Co-WIN platform will also allow beneficiary registration, session microplanning, real-time reporting of vaccination and issuing of vaccination certificates.
Working of Co-WIN in tracking delivery of vaccine to beneficiaries
- Data on most healthcare and frontline workers has already been populated onto Co-WIN.
- The session allocation, details of vaccination to the beneficiary, information about the next dose will be captured and communicated digitally.
- After both doses, a QR code certificate will also be generated which can be stored on the government’s DigiLocker app.
- In case of any adverse effect following immunization, there is a provision for real-time reporting through surveillance and action for events following vaccination (SAFEVAC), which has been integrated into the system.
- Other features include SMS in 12 languages, 24×7 helpline, chatbot assistance, etc.
