A Modern Technique, eVIN, Ensured Essential Immunisation Services: Healthy Ministry

New Delhi: An innovative technology called the Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) has ensured essential immunisation services, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday.

The Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) is an innovative technological solution aimed at strengthening immunisation supply chain systems across the country. This robust system has been used with the requisite customisation during the COVID-19 pandemic for ensuring the continuation of the essential immunisation services and protecting our children and pregnant mothers against vaccine-preventable diseases, said the health ministry in a statement.

Also Read: COVID-19 Vaccine Development: Only Three Vaccine Candidate In Phase III Across World

The eVIN aims to provide real-time information on vaccine stocks and flows, and storage temperatures across all cold chain points in the country, the ministry said.

At present, 23,507 cold chain points across 585 districts of 22 States and 2 UTs routinely use the eVIN technology for efficient vaccine logistics management. Over 41,420 vaccine cold chain handlers have been introduced to digital record-keeping by training them on eVIN. Nearly 23,900 electronic temperature loggers have been installed on vaccine cold chain equipment for accurate temperature review of vaccines in storage, the ministry said.

Also Read: COVID-19 Vaccine Likely To Come By First Half Of 2021, Says WHO Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan

The Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network has helped create a big data architecture that generates actionable analytics encouraging data-driven decision-making and consumption-based planning that helps in maintaining optimum stocks of vaccines leading to cost savings. Vaccine availability at all times has increased to 99% in most health centres, it added.

The ministry further said that an activity rate of more than 99 per cent reflects high adoption of the technology across all health centres where eVIN is currently operational. While instances of stock-outs have been reduced by 80 per cent, the time taken to replenish stocks has also decreased by more than half, on an average.

This strong platform has the potential to be leveraged for any new vaccine including COVID-19 vaccine, as and when available, the ministry of health said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.