Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, has virtually launched the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP), in the presence of Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare.

The Integrated Health Information Platform is the next generation highly refined version of the presently used Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP). The event was attended by health ministers of various states.

Expressing his enthusiasm at the brave, futuristic and pertinent amalgamation of healthcare and technology, Dr Vardhan elaborated on the timely need for the software platform: “The new version of IHIP will house the data entry and management for India’s disease surveillance program. In addition to tracking 33 diseases now as compared to the earlier 18 diseases, it shall ensure near-real-time data in digital mode, having done away with the paper-mode of working.”

Terming this as the world's biggest online disease surveillance platform, Dr Vardhan stated that it is in sync with the National Digital Health Mission and fully compatible with the other digital information systems presently being used in India.

The refined IHIP with automated -data will help in a big way in real time data collection, aggregation & further analysis of data that will aid and enable evidence-based policy making, he explained. Dr Vardhan applauded NCDC, WHO and all those who have been associated with this development.

Congratulating everyone associated with development of this visionary digital platform, Choubey stated that India has established standards of quality in healthcare: “With IHIP, collection of authentic data will become easy as it comes directly from the village/block level; the last mile from the country.”

Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary informed that in terms of the geographical coverage of the surveillance, along with the number of diseases covered and the quantum of data generated, this makes IHIP one of the largest such digital health platforms globally. 

Terming this as a ‘historic day’ not only for India for global public health, Dr Roderico Ofrin, WHO Representative to India stated that this refined digital surveillance platform will help to provide and connect data and move towards ‘one health’ approach. He mentioned that the portal is a great resource for timely health response measures to be mounted; not only programming, but also in disease prioritisation.