GUWAHATI: The indigenously developed eVIN or
electronic vaccine intelligence system that digitises vaccine stocks and storage temperatures of cold chains through a smartphone application, will be put to use for the upcoming
Covid vaccination drive in the state.
Universal immunisation programmes in the past, aided by the UNDP and partnered by the ministry of health and family welfare, have completed their programmes with the help of this system. The network was launched in the state in 2016.
Officials in the health department said vaccine storage capacity in Assam has been enhanced to 1,23,332 litres accounting for 370.90 lakh doses. “The e VIN system can monitor real time stocks at all the 742 cold chain points,” said director of health services (family welfare), Assam,
Munindra Nath Ngatey, even as Assam readied the state vaccine store (SVS) here to receive vaccine doses.
The vaccines will be distributed to five regional vaccine stores in Guwahati, Goalpara, Dibrugarh, Tezpur and Silchar. Nearly 27 other district vaccine stores are also being readied for the purpose.
Ngatey said the state immunization team is experienced and has successfully conducted the Measles-Rubella campaign and multiple high quality JE vaccination campaigns in the past.
"The cold chain space and equipment status for the drive has been reviewed and intervened accordingly. Sufficient cold chain space is available to store and manage the exercise,” Ngatey added.
A state control room has been formed with dedicated manpower and equipment. Besides, the “104” call centre staff are oriented to support the operation. The health care worker registration in the Co-WIN portal has crossed 1.6 lakh. Frontline worker registration has just started, said a spokesperson for the programme,
Pomi Baruah.
“Adverse event monitoring committees have been formed and a state technical collaborating centre has been notified at GMCH. A team is working on designing an appropriate communication planning,” she added.
“There must be three dedicated areas in each session site. One waiting room, one vaccination room and one observation room for 30 minute-observation after getting the vaccine shots,” she said.
A state steering committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of the chief secretary of Assam, followed by state task force and district task forces constituted under the chairmanship of principal secretary (H&FW) and DCs respectively to review the preparedness. Moreover, block and urban task forces have also been constituted across the state and meetings have started to clear block level bottlenecks.