The Tanzanian government has introduced a cold chain monitoring and electronic data collection systems in a bid to reach 100% vaccination coverage by next year. According to an African Daily Voice report, this move is aimed at strengthening the country’s immunisation services.
The Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ummy Mwalimu, explained that the government saw a need to do this, after statistics were released that put the country in the third position of the world’s national immunisation coverage. “We have just received part of the refrigerators and tablets, we expect to receive between 800 and 1000 refrigerators and 3000 tablets at the end of this year to attain 80% of country demand in all health centres in the country,” she is quoted in the report as saying.
The minister explained that the country received this equipment from the Ministry of Health Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children and Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations (GAVI).
The refrigerators are set to be distributed to dispensaries and health centres to improve the storage of vaccines in dispensaries and health centres.
“All councils in mainland Tanzania and all districts in Zanzibar will receive the refrigerators in two phases. The first phase will include Dodoma, Geita, Kagera, Kigoma, Lindi, Tanga, Mara, Mbeya, Mtwara, Mwanza, Shinyanga, Songwe, Unguja, Coast Region and Singida, while the second phase will cover all remaining regions,” added Mwalimu.
The report says she further noted that the Health Ministry had already started collecting immunisation data electronically, through the national immunisation programme.
[link url="https://africandailyvoice.com/en/2019/02/23/tanzania-strengthens-immunisation-services/"]African Daily Voice report[/link]