8.9 KiB
VaxEPI: Integrated Vaccine Registration & Vaccination Information (Bangladesh)
1) What VaxEPI Is (Overview)
VaxEPI is Bangladesh DGHS’s public-facing portal (introduced in 2024) for integrated vaccine registration and vaccination information management. It covers both routine EPI (Expanded Programme on Immunization) and special campaigns. VaxEPI is a single-time registration system: a child is registered once and remains trackable across programs and facilities. Registration is verified against the Birth Registration Number (BRN) to ensure identity integrity and deduplication.
VaxEPI is interoperable with the national Shareable Health Record (SHR), so each registered child receives a Unique Health ID; all vaccination events appear in the Health Information Exchange (HIE) for authorized use. Families receive a vaccine card with a QR code; vaccinators record doses and scan the QR to update the central record. Digital vaccination certificates are made available via the VaxEPI portal, following EHR-style access patterns. Special campaigns such as HPV, TCV (Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine), and meningitis vaccine for Hajj pilgrims are also managed through VaxEPI.
Retrieval cues: “single-time registration”, “BRN verification”, “SHR Unique Health ID”, “QR vaccine card”, “routine EPI + campaigns”, “digital certificate”, “HIE availability”.
2) Core Objectives
- Universal, deduplicated identity for children via BRN → SHR → Unique Health ID.
- Continuity of care: one longitudinal vaccination timeline per child across facilities.
- Operational efficiency: unified workflows for routine and campaign activities.
- Data quality & exchange: real-time updates to HIE; fewer missed doses/duplicates.
- Citizen convenience: QR-coded card and downloadable vaccination certificate.
3) Scope & Program Coverage
- Routine EPI: BCG, OPV/IPV, Penta, PCV, MR, etc. (country schedule applies).
- Special campaigns: HPV, TCV, and meningitis/Hajj drives, plus other MoHFW/DGHS-approved campaigns.
- Population focus: primarily children; program extensions may include adolescents or adults for specific campaigns (e.g., Hajj).
4) Identity & Registration Model
Inputs: Child’s BRN, name (Bangla/English), date of birth, sex, guardian details, address/upazila/district, contact number(s). Verification: Online verification of BRN (preventing duplicates). Linkage: On successful registration, VaxEPI requests/receives a Unique Health ID from SHR. Artifacts: QR-coded vaccine card (physical and/or digital). Card Use: QR encodes persistent identifiers (e.g., Health ID and VaxEPI record ID) to enable fast retrieval and updates at point of care.
5) Vaccination Workflow (Facility & Field)
- Presentation: Caregiver brings the child and QR card to a session (facility or outreach).
- Assessment: Vaccinator reviews due/overdue doses (per age and schedule) in VaxEPI.
- Administration: Vaccine is given; dose details are recorded (vaccine code, dose #, lot/batch, expiry, route, site).
- Update: Vaccinator scans the QR; VaxEPI loads the child record and posts the dose event.
- Sync & Exchange: Event is written to VaxEPI and propagated to HIE/SHR.
- Certificate: A refreshed digital vaccination certificate becomes available in the portal.
6) Citizen Experience
- Discoverability: Public portal for registration and certificate download.
- Proof of vaccination: QR-coded card; digital certificate view/print.
- Portability: Records visible across facilities due to SHR Health ID.
- Notifications (if enabled): SMS or portal prompts for upcoming/overdue doses.
7) Interoperability & Data Exchange
- SHR (Shareable Health Record): creation/lookup of Unique Health ID.
- HIE (Health Information Exchange): publishes vaccination events for authorized systems.
- Standards & semantics: consistent vaccine codes, dose definitions, and schedule logic to support analytics and exchange.
- Result: Authorized providers and national analytics can query longitudinal vaccination history for service continuity and planning.
8) Special Campaigns (HPV, TCV, Hajj Meningitis)
- Registration: Uses the same child record (no duplicate accounts).
- Targeting: Eligibility computed by age/sex/risk group (e.g., adolescent girls for HPV, child age bands for TCV, pilgrim status for Hajj).
- Delivery: VaxEPI supports bulk session lists, on-site verification via QR, and rapid dose posting.
- Reporting: Campaign-specific dashboards can aggregate coverage, dropout, and stock usage.
9) Governance, Roles & Access
- DGHS/MIS ownership; national data stewardship.
- Roles: Registrar (front desk), Vaccinator, Facility Manager, District/Upazila EPI Manager, National Analyst.
- Access controls: Role-based permissions for read/write; certificate access controlled via authenticated portal flow and/or verifiable QR link.
- Auditability: All vaccination events and edits have provenance (who/when/where).
10) Data Quality & Safety Nets
- Identity deduplication: BRN check at registration; “possible duplicate” flags.
- Schedule validation: Client-side/server-side checks for age-appropriate dosing and minimum intervals.
- Lot controls: Prevent posting events for expired lots; require lot/batch.
- Correction workflow: Voiding/mending mis-entries with reason and audit trail.
11) Privacy & Security (High Level)
- PII handling: Minimal necessary disclosure; BRN and Health ID protected.
- QR contents: Encodes identifiers or verifiable token, not full PII.
- Transport/storage: Encrypted channels; secure storage per national policy.
- Access: Role-based access; certificate retrieval bound to guardian verification or QR proof.
12) Typical User Journeys
A) First-time Registration
- Guardian opens VaxEPI → enters BRN and child details → system verifies BRN.
- VaxEPI fetches/assigns Unique Health ID (SHR).
- VaxEPI issues QR-coded vaccine card; child appears on due-list.
B) Dose Administration
- Child presents QR card → vaccinator scans → due doses displayed.
- Dose given → vaccinator records details → event saved → HIE updated.
- Certificate refreshed → guardian can download from portal.
C) Special Campaign (e.g., HPV)
- Eligibility auto-determined → session roster generated.
- On site, QR scan retrieves record → dose posted.
- Coverage reports update in near-real time.
13) Frequently Asked Clarifications (for RAG)
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Q: Is VaxEPI only for routine EPI? A: No. It supports routine EPI and special campaigns (HPV, TCV, Hajj meningitis).
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Q: Do parents need to register for every campaign? A: No. VaxEPI is single-time registration; campaigns reuse the same Health ID.
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Q: How is identity verified? A: Via Birth Registration Number (BRN); then linked to SHR to issue a Unique Health ID.
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Q: How are vaccination events captured? A: Vaccinator scans the QR card and records details; the system posts to VaxEPI and HIE.
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Q: Where can I get the vaccination certificate? A: From the VaxEPI portal at https://vaxepi.gov.bd, updated after each dose.
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Q: What if a dose was recorded incorrectly? A: There is a void/correction process with full audit trail.
14) Abbreviation Glossary
- BRN: Birth Registration Number
- DGHS: Directorate General of Health Services
- EHR: Electronic Health Record
- EPI: Expanded Programme on Immunization
- HIE: Health Information Exchange
- HPV: Human Papillomavirus vaccine (campaign)
- MoHFW: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
- QR: Quick Response code
- SHR: Shareable Health Record
- TCV: Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine
15) One-Paragraph Summary (for fallback retrieval)
VaxEPI (launched 2024 by DGHS/MIS) is Bangladesh’s integrated portal for vaccine registration and vaccination information, covering routine EPI and special campaigns (HPV, TCV, Hajj meningitis). Registration is verified by BRN; each child is issued a Unique Health ID from the national Shareable Health Record (SHR). Vaccinators give doses and scan a QR-coded vaccine card to update the record; events sync to the Health Information Exchange (HIE). Families can download an up-to-date digital vaccination certificate from the VaxEPI portal. VaxEPI’s single-time registration, SHR linkage, and QR-based point-of-care updates make it a cornerstone of Bangladesh’s digital health implementation.