These advancements in technology in vaccine and cold chain have caught the attention of various stakeholders in the private and public sector, including the Ministry of Health in different countries and both local and global partners involved in immunization. As a result, they have invested significant resources in procuring a large quantity of these breakthrough technologies and distributing them worldwide (e, g. green tech refrigerators, Grade A & B, Solar direct drive, long hold over passive vaccine storage devices). The assumption was that the old and outdated equipment would be properly dealt with. However, it has come to our attention/reference the supportive supervision reports/ that many facilities are still occupying their warehouses with such obsolete cold chain equipment. This is space that could be better utilized for storing useful stocks. It is crucial to improve the quality of storage, expand the workspace, and enhance safety for both the staff and the commodities being stored.
Over 40,000 units procured and disbuted by UNICEF from 2017 - 2018 and about 28, 000 forcasted for 2019, cehck www.unicef.org/supply/sites/unicef.org.supply/files/2019-06/cold-chain-equipment-sdd-drive-and-mains-powered-refrigerators.pdf [ more devices procured during 2019-2023 – with CCEOP, COVAX etc. sources].
Why are countries/MOHs hesitant to incorporate cold chain equipment decommissioning into their supply chain management? I would greatly appreciate it if you could share your experiences, thoughts, and expertise. Or share with me the link – if there is any previous discussions on the subject.
Thank you Tariku for bringing this line of discussion to the fore.
From my experiences with MoH officials, it seems they have made the decompressioning process a very big deal and hence they have built several layers of barriers to it's implementation. In some instances, they may go as far as involving the Federal ministry of Assets and properties, where cumbersome paperwork and the other tight layers of approval and counter approvals will take forever to undo, before these are done, another political administration sets in and the entire process spins back to square one.
Secondly, there may be push backs from the community where these obsolete CCEs are domiciled, as community members may feel short-changed as long as they have not seen a bigger replacement for the obsolete CCE(s).
Many other factors like these complicates the process, its about time we look into the Decompressioning SOPs and possibly review them to promote a much more seamless process.
Thank you.
Zubair A Isah,
Cold Chain Logistics Consultant,
CTG-UNICEF, SouthWest Lagos, Nigeria.
Thanks Tariku and Isah,
There are a lot of challenges with regards to the process.
I feel like we need equal investment in supply chain processes because as we introduce these technologies, we need to think about human resource, we need to think about the context. Are we updating the existing resource materials: the training guides, the SOPs? How are we bridging the gap and transition the workforce to embracing the new technology? Does the existing infrastructure accommodate the infrastructure
One area that seems to take a back seat vaccination is the maintenace of the cold chain equipment which I believe should be comprehensive to include equipement lifespan and continuity of operations planning.
We need to start this conversation with the different stakeholders including manufacturers. One critical area in supply chain management which would ideally call all the stakeholders to action is Risk Management. We need to translate these risks associated with the surging numbers. The occupied space for example poses lot of risks ranging from inventory management, operating cost, inefficiency, challenges implementing good storage practices, among others. What can the different stakeholders do to solve this.
Let us invest in not only procurement but also CCE maintenance. We need policies that not only guide the decommissioning process but motivates the stakeholder to support this. For example incentivize manufacturers commiting to supporting reverse logistics and green procurement? Spotlight and loud these efforts
Appreciated
Kinyanjui
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