Immunization

Immunization Data System – Innovating for Action

The fourth thematic call was announced on 15th November 2017 on ‘Improving Immunization Data Systems’, a program directed at addressing challenges faced in collecting, analyzing, and using data on immunization and health, under the infectious diseases vertical of GCI.

The program was designed in two phases; the proof-of-concept phase I and the validation Phase II.

The call was open for 60 days with funding support from the Department of Biotechnology, GoI, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support the set of projects aligned to the Indian strategy requirement and in technical partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, the Department of Health Research (DHR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), who will be providing their valuable technical and practical inputs in selecting and reviewing projects.

Immunization

The overall goal is to seek ideas that should be potentially translatable to practical interventions in India’s immunization program.

The call received 70 applications that were submitted online only. The screening was done on the 70 applications internally, which assessed initial eligibility of proposals which reviewed the scope of the scheme as per the mandate pre-defined in the call RFP and did the due diligence of submitted documents. Thirty-Six applicants were selected for presentation to TAG, where 9 applications were shortlisted for funding support. These projects were all signed in FY 2018-2019.

The supported nine project teams are testing a blend of innovative technologies involving blockchain technologies, data warehousing, mobile applications and development of health monitors for distinct health officials.

  1. HealthChain: an accelerator for immunization data integration, analysis, and use in India;
    Organisation: Avalon Information Systems Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi The projects aimed to reconcile coverage (from ANMOL / CAS) and consumption data (from eVIN) using blockchain technology to create a robust, scalable, real-time tracking and triangulation system on immunization data in India. This solution will integrate the immunization data of the Mother and Child Tracking System (MCTS) with IndiaStack to offer a public health solution for immunization based on India’s unique identity project Aadhar.
  2. Image recognition based data entry processes to ensure immunization completeness and auditing of reported data
    Organisation: OnionDev Technologies Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi The proposed solution aims to develop an application for optical scanning of the Mother and Child Protection (MCP) card immunization record for use by frontline workers equipped with a mobile smartphone. Real-time point-of-service data entry will leapfrog the existing MCTS/ RCH approach based on data entry at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) to improve data accuracy, timeliness and completeness.
  3. eVaccination: Immunization in the last mile Organisation: Operation ASHA, New Delhi EVaccination app to ensure each newborn’s vaccination through trained semi-literate local
    people as incentivized Community Health Workers (CHWs) to find, counsel and accompany new mothers to public hospitals for vaccination. This process will be verified by finger scans of the CHW and the mother. If a vaccine is missed the app will send SMSs to the CHW and the mother, to retrieve her immediately.
  4. App for Tracking and triangulating Coverage and Vaccine Consumption on a GIS Platform to Assess Immunization Program Dynamics in India through Reliable and Timely Analytics and Visualisation of Data Organisation: ML Infomap Pvt. Ltd., Delhi The proposed solution aims to access, interface/integrate population coverage (HMIS/ANMOL) data and vaccination consumption (eVIN) data on a GIS server platform and to track and triangulate the datasets in near real time and enable quantitative analysis of these data sets
    and visualize the relevant KPI (Key Performance Indicators) through dynamic dashboards and active maps
  5. Improving Immunization Data Quality for Action: Biometry Beneficiary Linkage and Data Convergence for Monitoring Organisation: The INCLEN Trust International, Delhi
    This proof of concept proposal aims at improving the immunization data quality (accuracy, validity, consistency, completeness and timeliness) through four approaches: (1) Aadhar
    (biometry/QR scan) and mobile number linkages of beneficiaries; (2) bridging ANMOL and eVIN platforms for data convergence; (3) user-friendly monitoring dashboards to empower the program managers for tracking and improving performance; and (4) generating timely and appropriate data inputs for HMIS.
  6. Immunization Blockchain: Transforming Immunization Data Storage using Blockchain Technology Organisation: NEERMAN, Mumbai The initial pilot seeks to create data connectors that will translate MCTS and E-Vin data into a common format and store it onto the blockchain. A blockchain database will be the secure, decentralized, common backbone for recording data from disparate sources like MCTS and e- VIN to allow the tracking of vaccinations from the factory to the beneficiary level by using Aadhaar/UPI.
  7. IMMUNOCHAIN: A traceability solution for vaccines in immunization programs Organisation: IIITM-K, Trivandrum IMMUNOCHAIN, is to build a big data and blockchain technologies powered, mobile/web enabled vaccine traceability solution for immunization programs in India. It is proposed to be vendor neutral, scalable, replicable and reusable across different immunization programs in any geographical context. The goal of the Immunochain is to address the problem of traceability of immunization vaccines from manufacturing facility, through the distribution mechanisms in cold storage network and the vaccine handling/administration facilities, till the end consumer.
  8. Mobile Application For Immunization Data In India (MAIDI) Organisation: Indian Council of Medical Research Hq., Delhi The solution proposes to develop, pilot and assess the feasibility of an integrated mobilebased application tool to improve knowledge on India’s Universal Immunization Programme, uptake of routine immunization services, and data access targeting beneficiaries/care-givers, health care providers and the health system.
  9. Nagarik Rog Pratirakshak: Unified Smart Immunization Coverage Monitoring And Analysis (UNISICMA) Organisation: Indian Institute of Information Technology, Una in collaboration with SSN College of Engineering Proposing an infrastructure that embraces cloud and fog computing and involves a novel platform with machine-to-machine (MM) messaging, seamless data management, and the use of data fusion and decision fusion to facilitate immunization data coverage. An mobile application with natural language interfaces and edge analytics, performing big data analytics by using deep learning and federated stream mining techniques that supports Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) of real-time data UniSICMA NITT – SSNCE 3 and deploying immunization real-time data analysis as Analytics As A Service (AaaS) to promote ease of accessibility and interoperability.