Service delivery
Effective immunization programs include a continuum of steps, including communicating to the public about vaccines, ensuring proper vaccine storage, tracking disease burden, and giving safe injections. Health care professionals working with immunization programs in developing countries experience unique challenges due to the often variable conditions around them, such as a lack of consistent equipment and the remote locations of some villages. Additionally, clinicians must manage an array of actors that can be involved in immunization programs, specific guidelines for immunization timing, and a lack of awareness among the general public about vaccines.
PATH is working to improve delivery of vaccines to those in need through the use of novel technologies to improve injection and vaccine safety. Visit PATH's website to learn more about PATH's work in developing technologies to improve injection safety and vaccine delivery technologies.
View resources on service delivery
Key resources
Development of a Freeze-Stable Formulation for Vaccines Containing Aluminum Salt Adjuvants (2009)
An article
article that describes an approach to minimize reliance on the proper implementation of the cold chain to protect vaccines from freeze-thaw inactivation.
Cold Chain and Logistics Management: An Essential Part of Safe and Effective Vaccination Programs (2008)
A
fact sheet on cold chain and logistics for vaccine delivery, including challenges for managing the cold chain, examples of effective cold chain management, and the costs associated with the cold chain.
Standard Operating Procedures for Investigation of Adverse Events Following Immunization (2007)
A document produced by the Government of India and WHO that provides guidelines for clinical workers on recognizing, reporting, and investigating adverse events following immunization. It includes copies of standard forms and tables summarizing both common and rare reactions.
Featured PATH resources
Optimize Strategy: 2009-2012 (2008)
A
brief overview of the Optimize project's strategy for developing delivery systems that are as advanced and innovative as the vaccines they support.
Vaccines in Uniject (2009)
A fact sheet that
describes PATH's work on administering vaccines with the Uniject® device, an autodisable, prefilled, single-use syringe.
Cold Chain Equipment Management (2008)
A tool to help cold chain managers and public health officers make strategic decisions about managing their cold chain equipment.
Page last updated: November 2009.
