Govt launches competition seeking solutions in vaccine distribution system from startups

The Union ministries of health and information technology have sought solutions as part of a grand challenge for strengthening the COVID Vaccine Intelligence Network (Co-WIN) system.

As the country prepares for the first round of Covid-19 vaccination, the government is offering start-ups a chance to develop solutions for better implementation and strengthening of the vaccine distribution system.

A health worker takes nasal swab sample of a woman to test for COVID-19 in Jammu.(AP)

The Union ministries of health and information technology have sought these solutions as part of a grand challenge for strengthening the COVID Vaccine Intelligence Network (Co-WIN) system.

Co-WIN, a digitalised platform, will be used to roll out and scale up the mechanism for the vaccine distribution system nationally, said information technology ministry’s senior director Ajay Garg.

The health ministry has identified seven focus areas of technology development to address the likely limitations associated with the effective vaccine distribution system and its seamless administration across India. “These challenges try to broadly address the priority areas relating to infrastructure, monitoring, and management, dynamic learning and information systems, constraints of human resources, including technical capacities, vaccine logistics management and tracking enlisted beneficiaries for any adverse event following the immunisation on a real-time basis,” Garg said.

The challenge was launched on December 22 on a collaborative platform developed for building synergies in the Indian tech start-up space. Participation has been invited from start-ups and emerging technology specialists to augment and scale the Co-WIN platform.

Registrations are open till January 15. The top five applicants will be provided the Co-WIN Application Programming Interface to prove the efficacy of their solutions for possible integration with the platform. Each shortlisted applicant will get ₹2 lakh to cover their logistical requirements. The final two winners will get a reward of ₹40 lakh and ₹20 lakh.