Vaccine management practices among healthcare workers in Morogoro, Tanzania: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background Effective vaccine management is essential to maintain the quality of vaccines, minimise wastages, and prevent missed opportunities for vaccination at service delivery points. Objectives This study aims to assess vaccine management practices among vaccinators at health facilities in the Morogoro region, Tanzania. Methodology A descriptive cross-sectional study design involved health workers from 77 health facilities offering vaccination services. The study population consisted of vaccine handlers and vaccinators working in public health facilities in the Morogoro region. The vaccine management practices were assessed using data collected from ledgers and the Vaccine Information Management System (VIMS). The temperature records were downloaded from the Fridge-tag® 2 and Coldtrace5 devices. Results The findings indicated that 65 (84%) health facilities had functional refrigerators and are using power from 26 (34%), 28 (36%), and 23 (30%) of grid electricity, solar, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), respectively. Besides, 27 (35%) health facilities have an alternative energy source as a backup. In general, healthcare workers had a good knowledge of cold chain management, including the World Health Organization recommended storage temperatures for vaccines. Furthermore, vaccine stockout was found in 12 (15.6%) health facilities for at least one antigen and 4 (5.1%) health facilities for all five antigens under observation. This current study also revealed that the average calculated vaccine wastage rates for DTP, Measles–Rubella and Rotavirus vaccines were 7%, 19%, and 15%, respectively. More than half of health workers did not perform monthly temperature data reviews. In addition, poor performance led to high wastage rates, including the Rotavirus vaccines, and a change in VVM to discard points. Finally, a small number of 5 (6.5%) health facilities consecutively reported temperature exposure beyond + 8 Celsius (between 5.9 and 281 h). Conclusions Healthcare workers’ vaccine and cold chain management knowledge were good for temperature data reading and documentation. However, the practices were poor for some health facilities. The gaps observed in this study inform health managers and policymakers toward establishing interventions to improve health workers' knowledge and practice, including mentorships, supervision, and training to guarantee that each child in all communities reaps the benefits of immunisation services.

Cold chain evaluation of the immunization program in Primary Health Centers in 2022

“…This is certainly very risky if there is damage to the There are still respondents' work units that do not have special equipment to carry vaccines while providing immunization services. It is necessary to have tools for vaccine transportation that are lightweight, easy to carry anywhere, with quality standards that can maintain vaccine quality [24].…”

Analyzing the effectiveness of digital technology in Vaccine Supply Management in Kano State, Nigeria

“…These further exacerbates existing and new challenges in vaccine supply chain management like poor cold chain equipment inventory and status; poor vaccine stock, distribution and utilization data collection and management; lack of skilled and properly trained workers in vaccine management operations; poor vaccine storage facility; and unreliable micro-plan data which leads to wastage, stock-outs and overstock, and inequitable distribution of products [9,10,11]. It is important to note these challenges and many other vaccine supply chain management problems are related to ine cient database management systems and innovative digital tools [9,12].…”

“…Ward Technical O cers/Routine Immunization O cers(10) for the intervention (Kano state) and the comparison (Bauchi state). We strati ed all the state LGAs under the three senatorial zones in both Kano and Bauchi States and used a purposive sampling approach to select 6 LGAs under the 6 Administrative Zones of Routine Immunization in the Kano State, and4 LGAs under the 2…”

Assessments of Effectiveness of Technologies Utilizations in VIHSCM Among Selected Health Facilities in Tanzania Mainland

“…Despite the initiatives by the Government with facilitations from development partners there exist scant evidence on performance of VIHSCM technologies in Tanzania. Previous observational studies such as (10) assessed vaccine management practices among vaccinators at health facilities in the Morogoro region, Tanzania, (11) assessed the effect of electronic immunization registry practices on the availability of immunization commodities while (12) assessed trends in immunization completion and disparities in the context of health reforms in Tanzania, (13) evaluated the impact of upgrading supply chain management systems to improve availability of Medicines in Tanzania; (14) compared the actual storage and distribution costs of vaccines and related supplies between MSD to EPI and Immunization coverage country reports (1, 15). These studies affirmed that prevalence of inequities and disparities in immunization coverage across districts and health facilities level due to lack of electricity, poor network connectivity, and change of users with lower digital literacy.…”