Digital network under Health Ministry to track COVID-19 vaccine stocks, supplies in real-time

The Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN), a system used to track information on vaccine supply chain and stocks across the country, has now been adapted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under the National Health Mission for use in the coronavirus pandemic. eVIN provides real-time information on stocks and storage temperatures across registered vaccine storage sites in India. Used in the past to track immunization for children and pregnant mothers against vaccine preventable diseases, it will now be customized for use during the coronavirus pandemic, as per a press release by the Health Ministry. 32 Indian states and Union Territories are already established under eVIN, with the remaining states and UTs – Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Ladakh and Sikkim – to soon join the network as well, the release said. The network reportedly has 23,900 digital temperature loggers and 41,420 cold chain handlers for digital record-keeping. For any coronavirus vaccines introduced in India, the architecture of eVIN will support data-based decision-making and usage-based planning so optimum vaccine stocks are maintained, the ministry said. Availability of vaccines at these facilities has increased to 99 percent in most health centers, the release says. While there have been cases of stocks going empty in the past, these instances have been reduced by 80 percent, and the time taken to replenish stocks slashed by half, the statement says. The eVIN platform will be leveraged for any new vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines as and when they are made available, the release says.