Vaccinations have saved approximately 154 million lives globally over the past fifty years, underscoring their critical role in public health. Despite this success, recent challenges, including the pandemic, have seen a dramatic increase in the number of children missing out on routine vaccinations—over 67 million globally.
In Uganda, the average immunization coverage alarmingly dropped from 89.27% in 2021 to 77.31% in 2022. This decline is due to a variety of factors, including limited access to healthcare facilities, poor data management and collection, fragmented trackers, inadequate vaccine supply, and in general, low awareness about the importance of immunization.
Uganda administers the penta vaccine, which protects against Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Hepatitis B, and Haemophilus Influenzae Type B.
Gavi defines a ‘zero-dose’ (ZD) child as one who has not received a single dose of a Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis-containing vaccine. These children are at the highest risk of contracting these diseases and suffering severe health consequences.
Our Vision
Our vision is to create a robust and neatly integrated healthcare system that collects all patients’ medical histories and records. Immunyt’s mission is to become a universal healthcare application, bridging the current gap in the existing healthcare system.
The Problem: Fragmented Data Management
Currently, healthcare workers lack a centralized system to access complete patient records, leading to fragmented health histories and complicating the delivery of timely and appropriate care. Records often get lost amidst the chaos of vaccinations and follow-up appointments, resulting in wasted time, effort, money, and resources. Effective data management is crucial to addressing these issues.
Although Uganda has achieved a 71% decrease in mortality among children under five since 2000, the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN-IGME) estimates that in 2021, approximately 69,000 children under five died from various causes, including vaccine-preventable diseases.
Uganda, like many other countries, faces significant challenges in achieving comprehensive immunization coverage. Traditional paper-based systems are cumbersome, prone to errors, and inefficient. These problems are exacerbated by logistical difficulties, lack of real-time data, and challenges in tracking defaulters—children who start but do not complete their vaccination schedules. The Zero Dose problem remains critical, with many children missing essential vaccines due to geographical, socio-economic, and informational barriers.
By implementing robust data management systems, we can streamline healthcare processes, improve vaccination coverage, and ultimately enhance health outcomes.
Despite increases in vaccination coverage over time, gaps in immunization continue to contribute to under-five morbidity and mortality in Uganda. Households that include children who have not received a single dose of the pentavalent (penta) vaccine series are estimated to represent 13 percent of the 10,847 deaths among children under five in the country.
Products and Innovations
Immunyt App: Our flagship digital platform is not just about converting vaccination records from paper-based to digital formats. Through the Immunyt app, we aim to build a universal health care data and management system.
Immunyt EMR: Electronic Medical Records System, this facilitates the seamless management of electronic medical records, crucial for reducing misdiagnoses and ensuring timely and accurate treatment. With comprehensive data integration, healthcare providers can offer more personalized and preventive care, positively impacting health outcomes.
Immunyt ETM: Electronic Trials Management Systems, it helps in managing and overseeing clinical trials becomes more streamlined with our CTM system. It helps track compliance, data collection, and analysis, critical for advancing medical research and developing effective vaccines.
Impact and Future Directions
The effectiveness of our approach is evident in the potential health benefits realized through improved vaccination rates. Vaccinations have added an estimated 10.2 billion healthy years globally over the last five decades. Immunyt aims to contribute significantly to this ongoing success by improving the vaccination process.
Looking ahead, Immunyt plans to integrate broader health data from national health records and vital statistics into our platform. We understand the importance of data privacy and security, ensuring all data is anonymized and stored in compliance with international data protection regulations. This comprehensive approach is expected to reduce misdiagnoses and ensure more accurate treatments, positioning Immunyt as a one-stop solution for medical records and healthcare management.
Join Our Vision
Our vision doesn’t stop here. Immunyt collaborates with global health organizations like GAVI to align our goals and strategies, contributing to the worldwide effort to eliminate zero-dose instances and make healthcare more accessible, efficient, and equitable. We are also partnering with the Mukono Municipality health department.
At Immunyt, we’re not just creating an app; we’re paving the way for a healthier, more connected world. Join us as we make this vision a reality.
For more information or to join our cause, please contact us at: [email protected].
Together, let’s revolutionize immunization and create a world where no child is left behind.
