Post 00816e : Immunization In Nigeria

TECHNET21 E-FORUM Technical network for strengthening immunization services Contributions to: mailto:[email protected] or use your reply button! -------------------------------------- POST 00816E : IMMUNIZATION IN NIGERIA Follow-up on Post 00810E 29 July 2005 _____________________________________ Anthony Battersby wants you to note that the report posted in Post 00810E was the result of a collaborative effort of a four-person team. Steve McCarney (mailto:[email protected]) from the United States adds some specific comments. _____________________________________ As a former industry supplier familiar with the Nigerian project I wish to amplify some of the lessons to be learned from this project. Many of the solar-powered vaccine refrigerators procured through Nigeria's National Programme on Immunization (NPI) did not take advantage of international procurement service and support. Instead, several layers of distribution/supply was added at the national level by a variety of resellers who may or may not have experience in medical equipment, solar or refrigeration equipment. Costs were needlessly increased and, in some case, quality sacrificed. For example, the same solar refrigerator reported to cost $ 5000 through NPI national procurement would have cost at least 20-25% less through UNICEF's (Copenhagen) international procurement services. Furthermore, all solar refrigerators would have met WHO standards and would have been supplied by WHO/UNICEF Qualified Suppliers. During the NPI procurements every reseller I spoke to told me that they were unfamiliar with WHO standards. Fortunately, most resellers I spoke to wished to chose products that complied with WHO standards. Unfortunately, some resellers did not and went to other non-qualified suppliers to purchase products that did not comply with WHO standards because of lower price. In particular, batteries that meet WHO standards should have a two year shelf life before commissioning. The report noted batteries that failed before commissioning and within one year. These batteries may be some of the non-complying products. It is my view that strict adherence to WHO standards and the use of UNICEF's international purchase support would have saved money, standardized quality and resulted in significantly better installation success. Steve McCarney Global Gate - USA ______________________________________________________________________________ All members of the TechNet21 e-Forum are invited to send comments on any posting or to use the forum to raise a new discussion or request technical information in relation to immunization services. The comments made in this forum are the sole responsibility of the writers and do not in any way mean that they are endorsed by any of the organizations and agencies to which the authors may belong. ______________________________________________________________________________ Visit the TECHNET21 Website at http://www.technet21.org You will find instructions to subscribe, a direct access to archives, links to reference documents and other features. ______________________________________________________________________________ To UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message to : mailto:[email protected] Leave the subject area BLANK In the message body, write unsubscribe TECHNET21E ______________________________________________________________________________ The World Health Organization and UNICEF support TechNet21. The TechNet21 e-Forum is a communication/information tool for generation of ideas on how to improve immunization services. It is moderated by Claude Letarte and is hosted in cooperation with the Centre de coopération internationale en santé et développement, Québec, Canada (http://www.ccisd.org) ______________________________________________________________________________