VACCINE DELIVERY: DISTRIBUTION MODELS IN THE AFRICAN REGION
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Today, numerous life-saving vaccines are helping children have better lives. Immunisations prevent the deaths of 2.5 million children every year (Chan et al. 2011). Although disease preventable vaccines are available, we are lacking systems that can continue to immunise children, especially in hard-to-reach areas. This study aimed to understand whether new distribution models are leading to effective outcomes and if so, how they were doing it. To answer this question, three different vaccine distribution programmes in the African region (Tunisia, Senegal, and Mozambique) were evaluated. The evaluation questions were developed based on the identification of drivers and barriers that affect the delivery of vaccines, with the objective of providing evidence whether the programmes were decreasing the existent gasps in vaccine delivery systems. Six building blocks developed by the World Health Organization were used as a framework for the evaluation. Micro and macro recommendations were compiled based on the findings. The integration of vaccines with other health commodities increased the efficiency of delivery by maximizing the utilization of constraint resources. Changing the vaccine distribution system from a collection method to dedicated delivery allowed the health workforce to stay in the Distribution systems are only part of the puzzle of a system that involves various stakeholders and resources. Although these programmes offer positive solutions to vaccine delivery through supply chain innovations, other areas that affect the process must be addressed equally. Areas such as government accountability and cooperation, economic stability for the programmes, and sustainable implementation requirements must be embedded in the systems for programmes to generate |