Initiative: Panavac19/Vaccination Information System Against COVID-19 (Sistema de Informacion de Vacunacion Contra la Covid-19)
Institution: National Authority for Government Innovation of Panama/Autoridad Nacional para la Innovacion Gubernamental de Panama
Problem: Panama faced the challenge of vaccinating its population against COVID-19, as well as managing the availability, reliability, and traceability of the information related to the pandemic. Another big challenge was to get buy ins from health professionals who were reluctant to adapt to a digital information system quickly.
Solution: The Panavac19 were available at the end of November 2020 and the nationwide vaccination procedure began in January 2021. The first prioritized groups were approached based on priority factors and proximity to authorized vaccination centers. The appointment was made available on the portal and the users were able to manage appointments and choose the service center, date, and time. Between May and June 2021, the procedures module from www.panamadigital.gob.pa was put into production, completing the life cycle of vaccination data by giving citizens the ability to digitally manage their personal information.
Impact: This initiative has given citizens immediate access to their information and the ability to download digital certifications. The Panavac19 has been transferred to the Ministry of Health to manage real time health data such as laboratory results, immunization, and recovery certificates. The Panavac19 information system has been adopted by over 300 information booths across the country at all levels of society.