Cold Chain Management Practices And Challenges: The Case Of Private Health Facilities Providing Expanded Program Of Immunization (Epi) Service In Addis Ababa
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Date
2020-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Vaccines are essential health commodities which need their own specific supply chain system with
storage of 2 oC to 8 oC from manufacturing up to final use. It is recommended and critical that they
should be kept in appropriate temperatures during transport, storage and use. The purpose of this
study was to assess the cold chain management practice of private health facilities and related
challenges on providing EPI service in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Cross-sectional descriptive study was
used to assess the cold chain management practice of private health facilities and related challenges
on providing EPI service in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Based on this study, the overall cold chain
management practice was good at 60% (n=30) out of 50 facilities visited. The overall storage
condition of 16% (n=8) facilities was good. The overall transport trend of only 12% (n=6) facilities
was good. The overall technical capacity of EPI focal persons was good at 42% (n=21) facilities was
good and the overall logistics information system of 24% (n=12) facilities was good. Overall from the
findings of the study, it can be concluded that there were vaccine cold chain management practice gaps
and there were challenges related to lack of vaccine standard fridge for vaccine storage. Majority
44(88%) of facilities have been using domestic fridges to store vaccines. Federal Ministry of Health
(FMoH) and Addis Ababa City Administration Heath Bureau have vital role to improve the challenge
related to availability of the standard fridges at private health facilities.
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Keywords
Vaccine, Cold chain management practice, Temperature monitoring, Vaccine storage and handling