Friday, 30 December 2011
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Till now, many countries were using relatively cheap vaccines for their EPI program and therefore the issue of vaccine wastage was not given much importance as the focus was on reaching maximum number of beneficiaries. But now given the fact that many countries have now introduced or are in the process of introducing costly vaccine, what measures have the program managers taken to address the issue of vaccine wastage. I would like to request the forum members to respond by stating what measures they have introduced/come across to reduce vaccine wastage in their states/counties.
12 years ago
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#2361
This is a very important topic and I would encourage you so send in your ideas and experiences on how vaccine wastage rates can be reduced. Nearly two years ago a study was published that analysed pentavalent wastage rate in 20 different countries - with results from some of these countries over four or five years. The purpose of the study was to assess the cost impact of the more expensive single- and two-dose vials against the anticipated savings through reduced wastage. The study found that smaller vials sizes result in reduced vaccine wastage (not surprisingly) but that this is clearly not the whole story. Typically there can be up to a ten-fold difference in wastage rates even when the number of doses in the vial is the same: Single-dose vials resulted in wastage rates varying from 1% (in Bolivia in 2006) to 10% (Guyana, 2005) Two-dose vials resulted in wastage rates varying from 1% (Mali, 2006) to 27% (Kenya, 2005), and 10-dose vials resulted in wastage rates varying from 4% (Niger, 2006) to 44% (Bangladesh, 2005) Changing the vial size is a technical solution that contributes to lower vaccine wastage - but what about the management solutions? for example. where possible, decreasing the number of immunizations sessions and therefore increasing the number of people who attend, consistently implementing the open vial policy (see: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2000/WHO_V&B_00.09.pdf) more effective routine measurement and supervision of wastage rates and regular surveys to assess actual wastage rates We would like to hear your experiences particularly about easy-to-implement and effective ways to reduce wastage and any studies you know of how wastage has been assessed and reduced as a result of the study.
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