药物保健与健康系统杂志
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Cold Chain Management in Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Supply Agency: Study of Hawassa Cluster

Habtamu Solomon Mengistu*, Kaleab Taye Haile

The cold chain refers to the storage and transportation of vaccines within the optimally required temperature starting from the time the vaccines leave the manufacturing plant until they reach the end-users. The objective of the study was to assess the status of the cold chain management of Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Supply Agency (EPSA), Hawassa cluster. A facility-based cross-sectional study was employed in EPSA, Hawassa cluster to assess its cold chain management practice. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources to complete the assessment. Due to the binary nature of the variables (Yes or No) data was compiled and analyzed using count and percentage. In summary, the floor of the cold chain warehouse is not in a good condition. It has holes and breaks affecting warehouse operation. Dedicated room and space are available for vaccine and dry products, respectively. One person is assigned to monitor and manage cold chain warehouse operations. Based on the baseline findings, the authors concluded that EPSA Hawassa cluster is constrained majorly by a lack of effective warehouse operations and infrastructures, lack of manual documentation of inventories and transactions, and lack of proper stocking of commodities.