On October 27th, a male infant named Adilai Maolamu, who is eight months old, received his measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine at the central health clinic in Qigaituk Village, Tazihong Township, Shule County, located in the Kashgar region of Xinjiang. As he cried in his mother’s arms, the bright and colorful decorations in the observation room caught his attention.

“We are the first township health clinic in southern Xinjiang to introduce the most advanced intelligent vaccination system from China. This allows us to manage the entire vaccination process safely—from appointment scheduling and verification, to waiting, administration, and observation—while also creating a fun environment to reduce children’s fear of needles and to foster a comforting ‘psychological safe space,'” said Li Jianbin, the director of the Tazihong Township central health clinic, who is part of the eleventh batch of aid workers from Dongying, Shandong.

On the same day, at the central health clinic in Alafu Township, 65 kilometers from Shule County, a four-year-old girl named Nadire Alim was cuddled in her mother’s arms as she received a bivalent polio vaccine.

“This used to be confusing; I never knew when to get what vaccine. Now, with an app on my phone, I receive timely reminders for vaccinations and can even book appointments through my phone to skip the waiting lines,” said the young mother, adeptly demonstrating the functionality of the “Jinmiao Bao” app on her device.

Zhang Aijun, the director of the Alafu Township central health clinic and an aid worker from Dongying, explained that after the renovation of the intelligent vaccination clinic was completed at the end of September, the system has allowed online appointments and comprehensive monitoring of the vaccination process—from storage to administration. The local community has truly felt the convenience brought by this intelligent system.

Vaccination is considered the most effective and economical way to prevent infectious diseases. To ensure that children in Shule County can receive vaccinations in a clear, safe, and reliable manner, the Dongying aid command has renovated health clinics in three phases. As of September 2024, every township health clinic in Shule County has implemented an intelligent vaccination clinic. “The comprehensive coverage of smart vaccination clinics means effective monitoring and guarantee for every single vaccine administered,” added Cheng Xiangde, deputy director of the Shule County Health and Wellness Committee and an aid worker from Dongying.

“Orderly, error-free, and traceable,” is how Wen Na, the party branch secretary of the Tazihong Township central health clinic, succinctly described the current operation of the intelligent vaccination clinic. The online appointment system and digital ticketing have made long waiting periods a thing of the past. During vaccinations, scanning the QR code in the vaccination record automatically matches the recipient’s information with the vaccine, ensuring precise retrieval without errors from the IoT-enabled vaccine storage.

Wen further explained that the intelligent vaccination clinic can utilize the electronic monitoring codes of the vaccines and a tracing platform to track the entire process—from manufacturers to distribution companies, public health institutions, and storage environments. “This complete traceability not only tracks the vaccination outcomes but also the entire vaccination process, achieving real-time information tracking for the ‘last mile’.”