Armenia intoduces VSSM tool for vaccine stock management

Cross-posted from the January 2012 [i]Global Immunization News issue. Many thanks. [/i] 31/01/2012 from UNICEF Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CEECIS) The suggestion that I post this news came from Mojtaba Haghgou--the VSSM expert. Following the decision of Armenian Ministry of Health (MoH) and the National Communicable Diseases Control Centre (NCDC) to use Vaccination Supplies Stock Management tool (VSSM) version 4.8 for their National Vaccine Store in Yerevan, VSSM was translated into Armenian language by UNICEF, and a training course was organized for 8 staff from NCDC and MOH supported jointly by UNICEF and WHO Country Offices from 5 to 9 September 2011. With this initiative, Armenia has joined the 20 countries in different regions using VSSM. In general, the national vaccine store in Yerevan has been observed as well equipped and organized with trained and motivated staff. The exclusive use of VSSM in the national store will facilitate coordination between MoH and NCDC and contribute to the effectiveness and accuracy of the stock control and supply management system as well as to the overall quality of immunization programme planning and management. It is also expected to reduce the risk of vaccine stock-outs. VSSM is an open-source computer software designed by WHO to assist immunization programme managers and vaccine storekeepers to organize and manage the stock of vaccines and immunization supplies. It is based on existing WHO/UNICEF policies on vaccine management, with consideration for common field practices in developing countries. Although the focus is on vaccines, it also caters for all other health supplies, particularly the ones provided through primary health care services. VSSM is a multilingual tool and has easily been translated into several local languages until now. On the success of the VSSM stand-alone used in 20 countries, a web-based application is being developed and tested by Ministry of Health and Medical Education in Iran and by Project Optimize in Tunisia. The demo version of wVSSM version 1.3 is now uploaded on the web for public view (username: Admin, pass- word: 123)