2. INTRODUCTION
The ‘cold chain’ is the system of transporting and storing
vaccines at recommended temperature from the point of
manufacture to the point of use.
3.
4. Definition
“A system of storing and transporting the
vaccine, at a low temperature from the
place of manufacture to the actual
vaccination site is called cold chain”.
5. Importance of cold chain
1. Obtaining the vaccines from the manufacturers
2. Storing and transporting the vaccines
3. Maintaining the supply of vaccines
4. Having information about essential
equipments, supply of electricity etc
5. Keeping the vaccine at low temperature
6. Protecting the vaccine from sunlight exposure
7. Maintaining the potency of vaccines.
6. Components of cold chain
1. Apparatus/ equipments
2. Supplies
3. Manual efforts
4. Transportation
5. Communication
7. Production and distribution of
vaccines in India
1. Primary stores(GMSDs/ government medical store
depots ) - 3 months
• 4 GMSDs (Karnal, chennai, Mumbai and kolkatta)
2. State vaccine stores
3. Divisional vaccine store
4. District vaccine store
5. CHC/PHC
8. Store level Number
GMSDs 4
State vaccine stores 35
Regional vaccine stores 20
Divisional vaccine stores 96
District vaccine stores 626
CHC/PHC 26439
Number of vaccine store in India
9. Why is the cold chain important ?
1. Vaccines are:
Biological products
lose potency with time
Process irreversible and accelerated if proper
storage conditions are not adhered to.
10. 2. Assurance in potent product and vaccine programmes
Professional responsibility
Confident the vaccines you give will be effective
Public Health responsibility
Public confidence in immunisation programmes
11. 3. Reduce wastage from errors.
4. Compliance with manufacturer
Any vaccine that has not been stored at a temperature
of 2-8ºC as per its licensing conditions is no longer a
licensed product
12. Cold chain equipments
Walk in freezer
Walk in cooler
Deep freezer
Ice lined refrigerators
Domestic refrigerators
Cold box
Vaccine carriers
Day carriers
Non electrical cold chain equipments
13. Walk in freezer
State level
Bulk storage of OPV
Prepare frozen ice packs
14. Maintain temperature : - 20 deg C
Storage capacity: 15 – 20 Lakh doses.
Stand by generator
Alarm
15. Walk in cold rooms(WIC)
At state/regional level
4-5 districts
Store for 3 month requirement / 25% buffer stock
Temp : +2 to 8 degree C
16. Storage capacity: 12 to 15 Lakh doses.
Sizes – 16.5 cum and 32 cum
Standby generator – auto start/stop
Temperature recorder
Alarm(+10 degree C)
25. Shake test
The “shake test” was
designed to detect freeze
damage in aluminum-based,
adsorbed, freeze
sensitive vaccines such as
DTP, DT, Td, TT, ty- phoid,
and hepatitis B.
These vaccines must nev- er
be frozen as this reduces
their immunogenic- ity.
26. Do’s for Use of ILR/Freezer
Keep the equipment in a cool room
Away from direct sunlight
At least 10 cms away from the wall.
Keep the equipment properly levelled.
Fix the plug permanently to the socket.
Use voltage stabilizer.
27. Keep the vaccines neatly stacked with space for
circulation of air.
Keep the equipment locked and open it only when
necessary.
Defrost periodically.
Check the temperature twice a day
28. Maintain a record
Supervised and signed - supervisor/Medical Officer
regularly.
Outside the equipment - notice of the
contingency plan
Should know whom to contact
Should arrange for alternate place for storing
vaccines.
29.
30. Don’ts for Use of ILR/Freezer
• Do not keep other drugs and vaccines not used in
UIP.
• Do not open the top un-necessarily
• (Paste this message on the top of the ILR).
• Do not keep food or drinking water in the DFs/ILR.
31. Do not keep –
More than one month’s requirement at PHC
headquarters
More than 3 months requirement at district level.
Do not keep vaccines, which have expired.
Do not disturb thermostat setting frequently.
34. Vaccine storage
No food or medical specimens
Do not place fridge in direct sunlight or near heat
source
Do not store vaccines for more than 1 month at
PHC.
Do not store vaccines in fridge doors or in solid
plastic trays/containers within the fridge
35. Safeguard electricity supply
Not more than 50% full
Place vaccines in clearly labelled plastic mesh
baskets
Group vaccines by type (Paediatric,Adult,
Adolescent)
Defrost/calibrate fridge regularly
37. • Collect and transport large quantities of vaccines.
• These are of different sizes
5, 8, 20 and 22 litres.
• Store vaccines for transfer up to five days
38. • The hold over time is-
More than 90 hours for 5 Litre
Six days for 20 Litre cold box
Remember - ?
If not opened at
all