UP first to initiate real-time digital surveillance of VPDs

Varanasi: In a significant milestone, Uttar Pradesh has become the first state to launch real-time digital surveillance of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) using its own platform.
Starting May 1, the UP govt initiated digital surveillance of VPDs on the Unified Disease Surveillance Portal (UDSP), which will facilitate real-time case reporting and accurate data collection, allowing quick detection of diseases and outbreaks. This will also help in implementation of effective strategies at a swift pace.
CMO Dr Sandeep Chaudhary said case-based surveillance for six vaccine-preventable diseases — poliomyelitis (acute flaccid paralysis), measles, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus — is being conducted under the Universal Immunization Program (UIP) with support from the World Health Organisation's National Public Health Support Network (NPSN). For the first time, this surveillance will be integrated into the UDSP, a state-owned digital platform developed by the Uttar Pradesh govt post-Covid to serve as an integrated surveillance system for the state.
UP is the first state to develop such a platform, initially launched in May 2023 for 12 notified diseases and has been extensively operational since.
The CMO said, "Through UDSP, digital surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases will enable rapid communication between districts and the state, improving the quality of public health response and timely disease identification. This will provide us with accurate, timely data, allowing better planning and monitoring of our immunisation programmes and facilitating swift action to improve vaccination coverage. Additionally, a major benefit of the platform is that our citizens will easily access their lab reports online, similar to how they received their Covid reports. Active participation from all health officials and staff is crucial for success of this initiative." A patient with a vaccine-preventable disease was registered at OPD of Sir Sundarlal Hospital, IMS BHU, on this portal.
District immunisation officer Dr SS Kanojia said, "Under World Immunisation Week, we are conducting a school-based TD vaccination campaign across the state. Free TD vaccines are administered to students in grades 5 and 10 in both govt and private schools. Through the efforts, we are ensuring no child is deprived of a safe future due to lack of vaccination."
He said that UDSP was launched in May 2023, making UP the first state in the country with its digital surveillance platform for 12 notified diseases. This ABDM-compliant portal has been successfully integrated with national portals, enabling seamless data sharing with the central govt. With the integration of VPD surveillance, we will have real-time data for these additional six diseases, helping us further enhance the program.