The impact of health facility monitoring on cold chain management practices in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

About 1000 privately owned health facilities (HFs) were (re)-visited between September 2007 and September, 2009. A total of 2,100 health workers (HWs) were interviewed in these HFs to evaluate their knowledge on vaccine management and administration. Cold chain assessment form was completed for each HF revisited. Health Workers that were deficient in cold chain management knowledge were given on the spot training. Between September 2007 and March 2009, 90% of fridges in the HFs monitored were non-functioning. 95% of HWs interviewed had little or no knowledge about vaccine vial monitor (VVM) while 80% of vaccines screened were either in stage 3 or 4 of VVM or with VVM indicator removed. During revisits, between March - September, 2009, 92% of fridges were in good functioning state, 84% of HWs had good knowledge of VVM with 9.3% of vials in stage 3 or 4 of VVM or with VVM indicators removed.   Key words: Vaccine, monitoring, cold chain, VVM, immunization.