CoWIN goes global, 50 countries show interest

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Countries including Canada, Mexico, Nigeria, Panama and Uganda have shown interest in adopting the CoWin platform, reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday will address the CoWIN global conclave, where countries who have shown interest in the government’s digital platform will be given an opportunity to adopt it. The platform is being used in India to help people register for vaccination against Covid-19, book a slot and download vaccination certificates.

As many as 50 countries including Canada, Mexico, Nigeria, Panama and Uganda have shown interest in adopting the CoWin platform. Various health and technology experts from different countries are expected to participate in the event, which will be inaugurated by Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan

Foreign secretary HV Shringla, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan and Dr RS Sharma, the CEO of the National Health Authority (NHA), are also expected to speak at the event.

The conclave aims to share India’s experience with regards to universal vaccination to fight Covid-19 through CoWIN, the NHA said in a statement posted on its website.

The event, being organised in a joint initiative by the Union ministry of health, external affairs and the NHA, aims to share India’s experience with regards to universal vaccination to fight Covid-19 through Co-WIN.

The full form of CoWIN is Covid Vaccine Intelligence Work. It was introduced by the central government in January when the vaccination drive against Covid-19 began in the country. It is a website for beneficiaries and for officials associated with the vaccination process, there is a different mobile application as well.

The e-portal allows beneficiaries to book a vaccination slot. They can choose a day and time slot as per their preference. The beneficiaries can register at the website with their phone number. They will then receive an OTP to be entered in the required field. The beneficiary will then be asked to enter their Aadhaar details and can move forward to book their vaccination slot.

It also allows the user to add four family members in their profile and book slots for them as well.

After successful vaccination, they can also download their certificate from the portal.

To facilitate Indians planning to travel abroad, the platform also offers the option of linking one’s passport with that of the Covid-19 vaccine certificate.

Meanwhile, private hospitals will no longer be able to directly procure Covid vaccine supplies from manufacturers, and will have to place their orders through the government’s CoWIN platform which is the backbone of national Covid-19 immunisation delivery management system, people familiar with the matter said.

The new procurement process will be operational from July 1. The move comes even as questions are being raised about the reach of private hospitals when it comes to vaccinations, and their ability to use the entire 25% of vaccine production allocated to them. By some estimates private vaccination centres account for only 4 % of the total vaccination centres in the country. And according to an affidavit submitted by the government in the Supreme Court on June 26, between January and May,2021, private hospitals administered 1,56,30,130 doses of both vaccines, Covishield and Covaxin.

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