Resources

A systems-based approach to integrating early childhood development into community health platforms in Kenya.

One factor that may influence vaccine vial temperatures in vaccine refrigerators is adequate spacing of vials and vials in secondary containers. Vaccine potency can be reduced when vaccines are not properly stored or handled, resulting in poor protection against disease. There is also danger in the public losing trust in vaccines and providers if they require revaccination due to vaccines being compromised. World Health Organization (WHO) provides guidance in Immunization in Practice (Module 2: The vaccine cold chain) to leave vaccines in their original packaging when stored in refrigerators and to space the containers at least 2 cm apart to allow for air circulation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide vaccine storage guidelines but do not give a specific distance to space the vials and their containers. Instead, they instruct the user to make sure the containers are not spaced too tightly.The WHO Performance, Quality and Safety (PQS) working group for cold chain equipment was interested in confirming the need for spacing and verifying the current recommendations for spacing vials at least 2 cm apart. The testing described in this document investigated the thermal effects on vaccines of spacing secondary containers 2 cm apart. Additionally, this document explores other storing and packaging configurations and separation distances to identify the most appropriate storing strategies. Secondary packaging separation distances of 0 cm and 10 cm were tested in order to understand the effect of having no separation distance and having a large separation distance. All testing was completed in a Vestfrost ice lined chest refrigerator.

This report summarizes findings from a descriptive study using quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative methods included a cross-sectional farm assessment survey using a standardized questionnaire, and collection of surveillance data on travel history in malaria cases from individual patient logs from the outpatient department register book. Qualitative methods employed were key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and direct observations

With support from the USAID-funded Challenge TB project, PATH piloted treatment support interventions for HIV co-infected tuberculosis patients and drug-resistant tuberculosis patients in the private health care sector. This brief describes those efforts in India.

Ethiopia’s progress towards reducing the malaria burden is an inspiring public health success story, and a source of potential learning for other countries on the path to elimination. This case report describes Ethiopia’s three major success factors— (1) committed national leadership and partnership support, (2) scale-up of activities to support national control and elimination targets, and (3) the extension of prevention to the communities— and explores several exciting new opportunities to consolidate and expand upon Ethiopia’s decade of impact.