India to Launch Online Vaccine Management Portal U-Win Soon: Health Secy Apurva

The U-Win platform is modeled after the successful Co-WIN system, which was used for managing COVID-19 vaccinations in India.

The Indian government is set to introduce the U-Win platform, an online vaccine management portal, later this month to maintain a permanent digital record of vaccinations and medications for over 3 Cr pregnant women and nearly 2.7 Cr children born annually.

Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra announced this initiative during the national conference on "Universal Access to Healthcare: Digital Solutions."

The U-Win platform is modeled after the successful Co-WIN system, which was used for managing COVID-19 vaccinations in India. Currently, the U-Win portal is being piloted in all states and Union territories, except West Bengal.

It captures every vaccination event under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), ensuring that pregnant women and children have a permanent digital record of their vaccinations and medicines.

Speaking at the conference, Chandra highlighted the success of digital platforms such as Co-WIN and Aarogya Setu in delivering over 220 Cr COVID-19 vaccinations across the country.

The government now aims to replicate these successful models through its Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, further extending the reach of healthcare services.

One of the key objectives of the U-Win platform is to reduce healthcare disparities between rural and urban areas by ensuring that all citizens have access to a centralized vaccination record.

Chandra emphasized the importance of increasing healthcare access and addressing the digital divide, particularly in rural areas where healthcare services may be limited.

Additionally, Chandra pointed out that the U-Win platform is part of a broader national digital health mission, which seeks to unify existing healthcare portals such as telemedicine services, TeleManas for mental health, and eRaktKosh for blood management, into a single, integrated system.

Dr VK Paul, Member (Health) of NITI Aayog, who inaugurated the conference, underscored the transformative changes taking place in India’s health sector.

He emphasized the importance of a strong primary healthcare system in reducing the healthcare burden later in life, highlighting the role of digital technologies in achieving this goal.

Dr Paul outlined five key principles for digital health solutions to embrace, including the need for scalable technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.

He stressed the importance of ensuring that these innovations do not widen the digital divide and can be easily used by those who may not be digitally literate.

Moreover, Dr Paul emphasized the need for inclusivity and the protection of human rights in the deployment of digital health technologies. He warned against cyber fraud and stressed the importance of safeguarding beneficiaries’ personal information.

Bharat Lal, Secretary General of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), also spoke at the event, highlighting healthcare as a fundamental human right.

He stressed that without access to good healthcare, individuals cannot fully realize their potential. Lal noted that the NHRC's scope has expanded to include socio-cultural issues including healthcare, emphasizing the Commission’s involvement in various healthcare initiatives, including mental health and leprosy.

Lal also highlighted the promise of digital technologies in achieving universal healthcare, calling for active engagement from all stakeholders to improve the quality of life through these digital solutions.