What is Management Information

System?
An MIS is a system that provides managers with the necessary information to make decisions
about an organization's operations. The MIS gathers data from various sources and processes
it to provide information tailored to the managers' and their staff's needs.
 Global Challenges in Covid-19 Vaccination
and CoWIN
 Many countries struggle with identifying and reaching target populations for COVID-19 vaccination, especially in low-and-
middle-income countries.
 Vaccination session management poses challenges, leading to overcrowding or unsatisfactory client experience.
 Documentation for multiple vaccine products is necessary for proper immunization.
 India responded to these challenges with the CoWIN platform, enabling pre-registration, appointment scheduling, reminders,
and monitoring of vaccine uptake.
 CoWIN was developed in less than three months during the pandemic-induced lockdown and has administered two billion
Covid-19 vaccine doses within 18 months, protecting over 90% of eligible adults.
 CoWIN illustrates India's progressive digitalization of its health systems, building upon the foundation of the eVIN platform.
 Background of CoWin
- India's pre-existing electronic Vaccine Intelligence
Network (eVIN) dates back to 2015, managed under
government leadership with support from Gavi, the Vaccine
Alliance, and UNDP.
- eVIN, initially utilizing licensed software, transitioned to a
locally developed open-source platform in 2020.
- The system, covering all public health facilities, manages
logistics for India's Universal Immunization Programme
(UIP).
- Following migration and scaling, eVIN is now fully
funded and managed by the Indian government.
- India faced severe impact from the COVID-19 pandemic,
especially during the second wave in March 2021,
witnessing a surge in daily cases and fatalities.
 India’s Innovative Response
To respond to the growing needs of the COVID-19 vaccination response, the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare (MOHFW) of the Government of India developed the COVID-19 Vaccine Intelligence Network (Co-
WIN) digital platform to complement eVIN and facilitate the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines
 Objectives for the
CoWIN Digital Application

 To ensure that every vaccination dose is digitally acknowledged and generates a certificate with a ǪR
code.
 To provide verifiable real-time data on the number of persons vaccinated at each level.
 The program operates in both the public and private sector.
 To facilitate the timely delivery of vaccine doses and the use of the same vaccine product to
complete the vaccination series.
 To maintain security and minimize vaccine theft and fraud.
 To generate data for future pandemic planning and for research purposes.
 Architechture/ Components of CoWIN

1. Centralized Database: CoWIN operates on a centralized database that stores information related to vaccine
doses, registrations, healthcare facilities, and beneficiaries.

2. Web and Mobile Interfaces: The platform is accessible through both web and mobile applications, allowing
users to register for vaccination, schedule appointments, and download vaccination certificates.

3. APIs: CoWIN integrates with various third-party systems, including Aarogya Setu (India's COVID-19
contact tracing app) and healthcare provider systems, through APIs to facilitate data exchange and
interoperability.

4. Security Measures: Stringent security measures, including encryption and authentication protocols, are
implemented to safeguard sensitive health data and prevent unauthorized access.
 Outcomes and Impact

• As of July 1, 2022, the Co-WIN application has facilitated the registration of over 1 billion beneficiaries.

• It recorded over 1.97 billion vaccine doses administered in vaccination sessions at 504,478 vaccination
centres across the country, 73% of which were in rural areas.

• It enabled real time monitoring of the vaccine rollout, providing disaggregated demographic and geographic
data; and enabled the seamless rollout and correct usage of different vaccine products.

• The CoWIN website1 handles over 1 billion visits daily and has recorded up to 3.1 billion visits on a single
day.

• The Co-WIN platform handled 13.7 million registrations within 8 hours when eligibility for vaccination was
expanded from vaccination of the highest priority use groups.
 Benefits (Beneficiaries)

 Facilitated universal access to COVID-19 vaccination.

 Provided information on location of vaccination centres and timing for vaccination sessions, allowing

beneficiaries to choose the most convenient location and time.

 Was flexible and allowed online as well as on-site registration.

 Provided alerts when the next dose was due.

 Provided digitally verifiable certificates.

 Special provisions were available to vulnerable groups lacking a valid photo ID.
 Benefits (Immunization Program)

 Provided scalable supply chain management, including vaccine stock management and
traceability.

 Enabled publication of vaccination schedules and declaration of stock availability.

 Facilitated vaccination session management.

 Provided real-time data for monitoring and for display on dashboards.

 Was easy-to-use for all system users, including frontline health workers.

 Minimized vaccine wastage.

 Facilitated reporting and monitoring of adverse events following immunization.

 Facilitated data aggregation and analysis for policy and operation planning and future pandemic
planning.
 Challenges

Vaccine
Technical
Digital Divide Distribution
Glitches
Logistics
 Lessons Learned

 The use of the interlinked Co-WIN and eVIN systems in India increased visibility, accountability, and
transparency of COVID-19 vaccine delivery. It enabled the rapid registration of beneficiaries at an
unprecedented pace, facilitated access to vaccination and enabled planning of service delivery. These
interlinked systems can be expanded to include all the vaccines provided by the national UIP.

 Investing in a digitally trained health workforce, providing supportive supervision and timely support to
resolve technical glitches are critical to success.

 Using community volunteers to facilitate the use of the system in communities with low digital literacy and
language barriers is beneficial.

 Local ownership of such digital systems will help to ensure that the systems are sustained over time.
 Conclusion

The case of India's CoWIN platform underscores the critical role of Management Information Systems (MIS) in
orchestrating large-scale public health initiatives. CoWIN exemplifies how an effectively designed MIS can
serve as a key in the successful execution of vaccination campaigns, especially in the face of a global pandemic
like COVID-19.

By leveraging technology to digitize and centralize key vaccination processes, CoWIN has revolutionized the
management of vaccine distribution, administration, and monitoring. Through its web and mobile interfaces,
CoWIN has empowered citizens to register for vaccinations, schedule appointments, and access digital
certificates with ease. Moreover, the platform's integration with various third-party systems and robust security
measures ensures seamless data exchange and protection of sensitive health information.
 Reference

 Co-WIN website (https://www.cowin.gov.in/ )

 https://digitalhealthfordevelopment.undp.org/view/7c4f53-63/

 https://www.exemplars.health/emerging-topics/epidemic-preparedness-and-response/digital-heal
th-tools/cowin-in-india

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/372350393_CoWIN_The_future_of_universal_immuni
zation_program_in_India
Thank You