In a major development, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan yesterday (5 April) launched an advanced disease surveillance system called the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP), reports Livemint.

Terming the system a brave, futuristic, and pertinent amalgamation of technology and healthcare, Dr Vardhan exuded confidently that the day would be written in golden letters as it marks a milestone in the history of disease surveillance.

Dr Vardhan shared that India is the first nation in the world to adopt such an advanced disease surveillance system. The system would track 33 diseases and ensure near real-time data in digital mode, doing away with the paper mode of working.

Calling it the world's largest disease surveillance platform, Dr Vardhan said that the system's launch is in sync with the Government's National Digital Health Mission. He also added that the system is fully compatible with the other digital information systems which are presently in use in India.

IHIP will collect, aggregate, and analyse the data in real-time and provide case-based information, integrated analytics, advanced visualization capability which will aid and enable evidence-based policymaking.

It will also provide a health information system developed for real-time, case-based information, integrated analytics, advanced visualization capability.

"It will provide analyzed reports on mobile or other electronic devices. In addition, outbreak investigation activities can be initiated and monitored electronically. It can easily be integrated with other ongoing surveillance programmes, while having the feature of addition of special surveillance modules," he added.