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007 - WHO - V-B - 02.34 - Eng - Guideline For Establishing or Improving Pimary and Intermediate Vaccine Stores
007 - WHO - V-B - 02.34 - Eng - Guideline For Establishing or Improving Pimary and Intermediate Vaccine Stores
34
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
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ii
Contents
Acknowledgment .............................................................................................................. v
Glossary ........................................................................................................................... vii
Abbreviations ................................................................................................................... ix
Preface ............................................................................................................................... x
1. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Purpose of the guideline ............................................................................. 1
1.2 Target readership ......................................................................................... 2
1.3 Layout of the guideline ............................................................................... 2
2. Planning a storage and distribution system .................................................... 3
2.1 Characteristics of a good storage and distribution system ................... 3
2.2 Design of distribution system .................................................................... 4
2.3 Choosing store locations ............................................................................ 6
2.4 Location of primary store ........................................................................... 7
2.5 Location of intermediate stores ................................................................. 7
2.6 Private or parastatal storage and distribution .......................................... 8
3. Estimating vaccine type and quantity ........................................................... 10
3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 10
3.2 The existing situation ................................................................................ 10
3.3 Future plans ................................................................................................ 11
3.4 Calculating vaccine storage requirements .............................................. 12
4. Choosing refrigeration equipment ................................................................. 20
4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 20
4.2 Refrigeration technologies ....................................................................... 20
4.3 Selecting refrigerators and freezers ........................................................ 22
4.4 Refrigerants ................................................................................................ 24
4.5 Calculating vaccine refrigeration capacity ............................................. 25
4.6 Refrigerators or cold room? Freezers or freezer room? ...................... 28
4.7 Calculating capacity for ice pack freezing ............................................. 28
4.8 Installing refrigerators and freezers ........................................................ 31
4.9 Prefabricated cold stores .......................................................................... 32
4.10 Transportable cold stores.......................................................................... 35
4.11 Site-built cold stores .................................................................................. 35
4.12 Temperature monitoring and alarm equipment ..................................... 35
4.13 Climatic factors .......................................................................................... 39
4.14 Lighting ....................................................................................................... 41
iii
5. Space planning .................................................................................................... 42
5.1 Planning vaccine stores ............................................................................. 42
5.2 Vehicle loading bay .................................................................................... 42
5.3 Refrigeration equipment area ................................................................... 43
5.4 Vaccine packing area ................................................................................. 43
5.5 Storekeeper’s office ................................................................................... 47
5.6 Packing materials store ............................................................................. 48
5.7 Store for injection equipment and waste management supplies .......... 49
5.8 Spare parts store ........................................................................................ 50
5.9 Heating and air-conditioning ................................................................... 50
6. Choosing a site .................................................................................................... 51
iv
Acknowledgement
v
vi
Abbreviations
°C degrees centigrade
A ampere
AC alternating current
AD auto-disable (syringe)
BCG bacille Calmette-Guérin (tuberculosis vaccine)
CFC chlorofluorocarbon
cm centimetre
DT diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (vaccine)
DTP diphtheria–tetanus –pertussis (vaccine)
EPI Expanded Programme on Immunization (WHO)
g gram
h hour
HepB hepatitis B (vaccine)
Hib Haemophilus influenzae type b (vaccine)
Hz hertz
IPV inactivated polio vaccine
kg kilogram
kN kilonewtons
kVA kilovolt-ampere
kW kilowatts
kWh kilowatt-hour
l litre
m metre
m2 square metre
m 3
cubic metre
max maximum
min minimum
ml millilitre
vii
mm millimetre
MMR mumps–measles–rubella (vaccine)
MR measles–rubella (vaccine)
NID national immunization day
OPV oral polio vaccine
Td tetanus toxoid and diphtheria (reduced component) (vaccine)
TST time–steam–temperature (indicator)
TT tetanus toxoid
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
V volt
V&B Department of Vaccines and Biologicals (WHO)
VVM vaccine vial monitor
W watt
WHO World Health Organization
YF yellow fever (vaccine)
viii
Glossary
Cold store a facility where the cold room/freezer room or other refrigeration
equipment are located, including a packaging area.
Grossing factor the actual internal volume of a cold room/freezer room, refrigerator
or freezer, divided by the net volume of vaccine that it can
accommodate.
Primary store a principal or main store that receives vaccine from the supplier.
ix
Preface
The 2002 edition of this document takes account of developments that have occurred
during the past seven years. Since work started on the new edition, WHO and
UNICEF have jointly begun working on the Cold Store Certification Initiative,
for which this guideline is one of the source documents.
Among the changes that have been made are the following:
Generally: Many of the manual worksheets in the previous edition have been revised.
Active Excel versions of the worksheets may be found on the CD that accompanies
the new edition. Cross-references to other documents have been improved and
are also hyperlinked. The duplication of advice between documents has been
reduced, e.g. the Model Cold Room Specification in the 1996 edition has been omitted
as there is now a new version of the cold room and freezer room specification
(Equipment performance specifications and test procedures E1: Cold rooms and
freezer rooms, WHO/V&B/02.33, revision date: 15 November 2002). The latter
document also supersedes the draft specification given in the 2000 edition of the
Product information sheets (WHO/V&B/00.13).
• Section 2: A section on distribution planning has been introduced and the
subsequent sections have been renumbered.
• Section 3: Advice on storage temperatures above 0°C has been updated.
Reference is made to improved methods for estimating vaccine quantity.
The introduction of new vaccines is covered in greater detail than previously.
• Section 4: Greater emphasis is placed on protection against cold weather.
The information on refrigerants has been updated. Changes have been made to
reflect the increasing use of HepB vaccine and other vaccines with freezing
points close to 0°C.
• Section 5: A subsection on storage requirements for AD syringes has been added.
Storage requirements for waste management products are discussed to reflect
the increased emphasis on safe injections.
• Sections 6, 7 and 8: Minor changes have been made.
• Section 9: Minor changes have been made and the references have been updated.
• Section 10: This section has been completely updated.
• Annex 1: Minor changes have been made.
• Annex 2: The cold store loading worksheet has been omitted.
x
1. Introduction
This document is not a comprehensive technical guide to all the issues covered,
nor is it intended to be a substitute for specialist advice where this is appropriate.
Adequate technical advice can be obtained in many instances from other
WHO documents and/or from reputable equipment suppliers. However, it is advisable
to seek independent technical advice when setting up primary and intermediate stores
with large cold stores and comprehensive safety equipment.
Frequent reference is made to certain key documents: the Product information sheets
that are regularly updated by WHO/UNICEF, and the second edition of Managing
drug supply, produced by Management Sciences for Health in collaboration with
WHO. The Product Information Sheets are an essential technical companion to this
guideline. Managing drug supply provides authoritative guidance on all issues relating
to drug procurement, storage and distribution, much of it directly relevant to the
more specialized field of vaccine management. In Section 10 these and other key
sources are listed. Wherever possible the electronic version of this guideline contains
hyperlinks to other web-based documents.
1
The previous edition referred to the national, regional and district levels of the distribution system.
The less specific terms “primary” and “intermediate” are now used. This change maintains
consistency with the terminology used in Managing drug supply (Section 10, reference 1) and
reflects the potential for greater flexibility in the planning of distribution.
WHO/V&B/02.34 1
1.2 Target readership
The guideline is aimed at senior managers at the national and intermediate levels
who are responsible for logistics. It should also be of value to specialists preparing
tenders for refrigeration equipment and to building professionals involved in the
design of vaccine storage facilities.
The sections in the guideline follow the general order in which decisions are taken
when a vaccine distribution infrastructure is being established.
Section 5 discusses space planning within the vaccine store, including the space
required for the storage of injection and waste disposal equipment and the layout of
ancillary spaces such as the vaccine packing area and the storekeeper’s office.
Section 6 lists the key factors affecting the selection of a suitable store site.
Section 9 covers the management of the procurement process. This includes the
appointment of consultants where appropriate, the specification of and tendering for
refrigeration equipment, the coordination of any building works that may be necessary
in order to prepare for the installation of such equipment, and the commissioning
and maintenance of equipment.
Annex 1 provides advice on the improvement of cold stores that do not comply with
all the recommendations in the guideline.
When a vaccine distribution system is being planned the main decisions concern the
degree of centralization and the number of storage points through which the vaccine
will pass before being delivered to the recipient. These decisions are largely
determined by political and organizational factors (e.g. issues of regional autonomy);
geographical factors (climate, travel distances, etc.); infrastructure (roads, electricity
supply, etc.); and the way in which the population is distributed. In a typical central
supply model, vaccine procurement and distribution are coordinated at the primary
2
The following paragraphs are closely based on Chapter 21 of Managing drug supply, Management
Sciences for Health, Kumarian Press, USA, 1997. Permission to adapt this material is gratefully
acknowledged.
WHO/V&B/02.34 3
level. Vaccines received at the central medical stores are distributed to intermediate
stores and then to service points. In a decentralized system the intermediate stores
are responsible for receiving, storing and distributing vaccines; in some cases they
may also be responsible for procurement.
3
Refer to Chapter 15 of Managing drug supply for a full discussion of inventory management.
WHO/V&B/02.34 5
4. For each alternative, estimate the total cost of operating the system.
Include the initial purchase cost of vaccine and the costs of storing the vaccine
(wastage, store operating costs, etc.), transporting it (vehicle purchase and
running costs, fuel, etc.) and managing the system (administration,
communications, etc.). A proportion of these costs is variable (e.g. supply costs)
and a proportion is fixed (e.g. salaries and building maintenance). One way of
modelling them is to use the total variable cost analysis method.4
5. Select and implement the system that provides the service of best quality which
is compatible with the available funds.
4
Refer to Chapter 41 of Managing drug supply for an explanation of this methodology.
If most vaccine is received from overseas by air the primary store should be situated
close to the international airport where the vaccine arrives.
It is logical for the primary store to be located within the central medical stores.
However, this may involve some loss of administrative control. It is essential that
the staff of central medical stores are properly trained in the management of vaccine
storage and vaccine handling because they are responsible for looking after a very
valuable commodity.
Administrative factors
Vaccine storage facilities are often located in existing administrative centres.
They frequently serve catchment areas that coincide with local government areas.
This may not produce an efficient distribution system and may not make good use of
scarce human resources. It is important to analyse and consider the alternatives.
For example, it might make better sense for one storage facility to serve several
administrative districts, provided that any political issues can be resolved.
It often makes sense to locate a regional or district vaccine store in the compound of
a regional or district medical store.
WHO/V&B/02.34 7
2.6 Private or parastatal storage and distribution
So far this section has assumed that government carries out vaccine storage and
distribution. If responsibility for storage and distribution is given to a parastatal
body or a private company, higher-level EPI management is freed from its direct
responsibility for the day-to-day running of the cold chain.
Adapted from Managing drug supply (Section 10, reference 1), Fig. 23.4.
WHO/V&B/02.34 9
3. Estimating vaccine
type and quantity
3.1 Introduction
Before refrigeration equipment is specified, determine the type and quantity of vaccine
to be stored. The first step in this process is to review vaccine consumption and
assess future programme requirements. In order to establish realistic data,
consult with the people or organizations responsible for programme management,
epidemiology, stores management, transport management and finance.
Vaccine storage
• Are vaccines being stored at the temperatures recommended by WHO and
the manufacturers? (Table 2.)
• Do storage times ever exceed the maximum times recommended by WHO
and the manufacturers? (Table 2.)
• What is the maximum stored volume per dose for each vaccine?6
• What is the stored volume per dose for diluents, including those stored at
ambient temperature?
5
Note that insulin should not be stored with vaccines at the primary or intermediate level. If there is
only one refrigerator at the service level, insulin vials should be stored in a separate container,
clearly marked “INSULIN – keep separated from vaccines”.
6
Most countries receive individual vaccines from more than one source. The most bulky
presentation is the one that should determine vaccine storage requirements. Refer to Table 2 in
Guidelines on the international packaging and shipping of vaccines (WHO/V&B/01.05).
Geneva: WHO; 2001.
Funding
• What funds are available for improvements in logistics?
• Are the presentations of existing vaccines likely to change in the near future?
For example, are there plans to use a single-dose prefill technology, e.g. Uniject.
WHO/V&B/02.34 11
Vaccine storage
• What plans are there for programme growth, including plans to achieve higher
coverage?
• Is storage capacity for growth to be provided immediately or phased in later?
Vaccine management
• Are there any plans to change the supply intervals or the levels of reserve
stocks?
• Has the WHO multi-dose vial policy been adopted? 7 If not, will it be adopted?
• What other plans are there to reduce vaccine wastage?
Assess how these changes would affect the volume of vaccine to be stored.
For example, the adoption of single-dose presentations would increase the cold storage
volume while a shorter supply interval would reduce storage requirements.
The retention of opened vials can greatly reduce vaccine consumption when session
sizes are small.
This guideline does not prescribe a method for estimating overall vaccine consumption.
Generalized methods often do not give sufficiently accurate results to take account
of the many complex factors affecting developed programmes. The accurate
calculation of vaccine consumption requires a careful analysis of existing programme
data and a consideration of future requirements.
However, once vaccine consumption figures have been established by other means,
the step-by-step process described in this section may be used to estimate the physical
volume of vaccine to be accommodated.
The number of doses of vaccine required has traditionally been calculated on the
basis of population, coverage and wastage factor, and has been increased annually in
order to allow for programme growth.
Vaccine requirements can also be estimated by using data on the numbers of registered
neonates and eligible women per session in each immunization setting
(an immunization setting can be a maternity ward, a fixed clinic or an outreach or
mobile team session). This information usually has to be collected by direct observation
of sessions because, typically, it is not included in the reporting system. An allowance
must be added to this estimate for operational vaccine losses, which arise because of
cold chain failure during transit and storage.
7
WHO policy statement: The use of opened multi-dose vials of vaccine in subsequent immunization
sessions (WHO/V&B/00.09).
Alternatively, in the absence of reliable records from facilities, estimates may have
to be made on the basis of previous demand, data on which can be derived from
stock records. The danger with demand-based estimates is that poor session planning,
the choice of inefficient presentations and shortages or gross wastage of vaccine
may be perpetuated.
Once the annual number of doses and the presentations are known the annual volume
of each vaccine can be calculated. When the delivery interval and the requirement
for safety stock are known it becomes possible to calculate the maximum volume of
vaccine to be held in stock.
The storage volume per dose of vaccine varies. It is determined by the type of vaccine,
the number of doses per vial or ampoule, the physical size of the vial or ampoule and
the bulkiness of the external packaging. Donor-dependent countries should ensure
that a safe worst-case figure is obtained for each antigen, because the manufacturer
of the vaccine may not be known until the shipment arrives.
In countries where vaccines are purchased, figures should either be based on data
obtained from all the manufacturers who regularly supply vaccine or from the latest
version of the WHO vaccine volume calculator.
WHO/V&B/02.34 13
3.4.3 Estimating vaccine storage volume
Review current supply intervals and reserve stock levels before estimating the
maximum volume of vaccine to be stored.
1. Supply interval
The supply interval determines how frequently vaccine is delivered to a particular
store. Note that the supply interval is not necessarily the same as the order interval.
At the primary level, for example, the order for vaccines is often placed annually,
whereas the vaccine may be delivered at six-monthly or even three-monthly intervals.
However, at the intermediate level the supply interval generally coincides with the
order interval.8 Reducing the length of the supply interval diminishes the volume of
refrigeration equipment required to satisfy a given annual consumption.
At all stores, and particularly at primary stores, new orders for vaccine must be
placed some time before the safety stock level is reached, because the supplier’s lead
time has to be taken into account. In the case of an overseas vaccine manufacturer
the lead time may be several months. A safety margin should always be added in
order to allow for unforeseen delays or sudden accelerations in demand.
Select supply intervals, working stock levels and safety stock levels that are locally
appropriate. Higher-level stores generally have longer supply intervals and larger
safety stock levels than lower-level stores. Safety stock levels in primary stores are
typically set to cover normal consumption for three months. Upper-level intermediate
stores typically hold a one-month safety stock, while lower-level intermediate stores
and health facilities carry a two-week safety stock.
8
For a more detailed discussion of inventory management, refer to the Procurement and Managing
Distribution sections of Managing drug supply, Management Sciences for Health, Kumarian Press,
1997.
• Financial considerations
Frequent small deliveries of vaccine increase the costs of administration and internal
transport. The effect on air freight charges and port clearance costs should also be
considered.
• Seasonal access
There may be road closures during the rainy season, affecting access to outlying
stores. Accordingly, vaccine stock levels may have to be increased at these stores so
as to ensure continuity of supply.
• Seasonal demand
The demand for immunization can fluctuate with the farming cycle and other
seasonal factors. Outlying stores should be of a size that accommodates peak demand,
NOT average demand.
The vaccine storage volume is calculated by adding the maximum volume of the
working stock to the volume occupied by the safety stock. A safety margin is then
added to take account of stock peaks (Figure 2). Stock peaks occur when the volume
of vaccine actually distributed in the period between any two supply intervals is less
than the volume predicted to be distributed during this period. They can also arise if
a vaccine delivery arrives earlier than anticipated. A realistic safety margin can be
derived by analysing stock records, which, for example, show past instances of
overstocking and understocking caused by seasonal fluctuations in demand,
campaigns, NIDs and so forth.
WHO/V&B/02.34 15
Figure 1: Phasing supply dates
20 000
18 000 Store capacity
16 000
Stock volume (litres)
14 000
12 000
10 000
8 000
Restock
6 000
4 000
2 000
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Months
18 000
Stock volume (litres)
16 000
14 000
12 000
10 000
8 000
NID supply
6 000 Restock
4 000
2 000
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Months
Safety s t o c k Total s t o c k
20 000
18 000 Store capacity
Stock volume (litres) 16 000
14 000 Actual
12 000 consumption
10 000
8 000
6 000 Anticipated
consumption
4 000
2 000
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Months
Below average consumption in months 1 to 6 results in excess stock when
the second delivery is received at the beginning of month 7.
At the primary and intermediate levels, diluents and OPV droppers are normally
stored at ambient temperature. However some presentations include the diluent in
the same packaging as the vaccine. In such cases it is necessary to refrigerate the
diluent as well as the vaccine at +2°C to +8°C (Table 2). At the health facility all
diluents should be refrigerated.
Diluents and droppers should always be kept in the vaccine store. A commonly
observed failure of stock control systems is that mismatches occur between vaccine
and diluent at all levels in the supply system. Vaccine produced by one manufacturer
must never be used with diluent produced by another. It is essential that the storekeeper
issues each vial of freeze-dried vaccine with an ampoule of diluent of the correct
type and preferably from the correct batch. Diluents have expiry dates that do not
necessarily match those of the vaccines with which they are used. In general, diluents
have a shelf-life of five years. In many cases, therefore, the diluent expiry date is
later than that of the corresponding vaccine.
3.4.5 Worksheets
WHO/V&B/02.34 17
3.4.6 Volume of insulated vaccine packaging
Worksheet 1 can also be used to estimate the volume of the manufacturer’s insulated
shipping containers. This calculation is necessary only in the following cases.
• Vaccines are stored in cold stores in the shipping containers. Storing vaccines in
this manner greatly increases the size of cold store needed. However, the extra
cost may be justifiable at higher-level stores where vaccine is kept alongside
other refrigerated pharmaceuticals. In very large cold stores, where goods are
stored and moved on pallets, vaccine should be stocked in insulated shipping
containers.
The manufacturer’s insulated packaging is kept and reused for in-country
vaccine shipments.
• Insulated packaging occupies up to eight times the volume of the vaccine that
it contains. The boxes cannot be “nested”. If they are to be kept, sufficient
storage space has to be provided so that they can be stacked.
Three categories of vaccine packaging are used for international air freighting.
They are listed below in decreasing order of bulk.
• Class A packaging is designed to ensure that the temperature of the vaccine
does not rise above +8°C for a minimum exposure of 48 hours at an ambient
temperature of 43°C. Class A packaging is only used for transporting OPV.
• Class B packaging is designed to ensure that the temperature of the vaccine
does not rise above +30°C for a minimum exposure of 48 hours at an
ambient temperature of 43°C. It must also prevent the temperature of the
vaccine from dropping below +2°C for a minimum of 48 hours at an ambient
temperature of -5°C. Class B packaging is used for transporting BCG,
DTP (and its combinations with HepB and Hib), Hib liquid, Hib freeze-dried,
measles, MR, MMR and YF vaccines.
• Class C packaging provides no specific protection against high temperatures.
However, it must prevent the temperature of the vaccine from dropping below
+2°C for a minimum exposure of 48 hours at an ambient temperature of -5°C.
Class C packaging is used for transporting DT, HepB, Td and TT vaccines.
The bulking factors given for the three types in Worksheet 1 are based on an earlier
WHO standard. If the packaging volume is critical, obtain accurate dimensions from
the vaccine manufacturer.
Refrigerators, freezers and cold rooms are commonly used to store non-EPI vaccines
such as rabies and influenza vaccines, together with other refrigerated products.
This must be taken into consideration when equipment is being sized. Information
should be obtained from the departments concerned.
Item:
Note: For step C, refer to Table 2 of the Guidelines on the international shipping of vaccines (WHO/V&B/01.05) or to the
WHO Vaccine volume calculator, http://www.who.int/vaccines-documents/DocsPDF01/www586.pdf. Alternatively, obtain
manufacturer’s data.
Notes:
WHO/V&B/02.34 19
4. Choosing refrigeration
equipment
4.1 Introduction
Two types of refrigeration cycle are used for vaccine storage: the compression cycle
and the absorption cycle.
9
The web site address is http://www.who.int/vaccines-documents/DoxGen/H3DoxList.htm
Compression cycle appliances are the more common and by far the more efficient,
delivering approximately four times as much cooling capacity per unit of electricity
as equivalent absorption cycle appliances. Most of the larger refrigerators and freezers
and all cold rooms and freezer rooms use the compression cycle, which is also used
by nearly all photovoltaic solar refrigerator manufacturers. Compression cycle
appliances are preferable wherever there is a reliable electricity supply for more
than eight hours a day
Because electricity supplies are rarely completely reliable, the use of ice-lined
refrigerators is strongly recommended for bulk vaccine storage on any site,
whether or not there is a stand-by generator. All the mains-powered compression
refrigerators that currently meet WHO standards are top-loading ice-lined models.
WARNING: Freezing destroys some vaccines, e.g. TT and HepB. They freeze in an ice-
lined refrigerator if the thermostat is set to maximum. Even if the thermostat is correctly
set the temperature near the bottom of ice-lined refrigerators may drop below 0°C when
the ice lining is refrozen after a power failure. Freeze-sensitive vaccines should NOT,
therefore, be stored within 20 cm of the base of these models. Some models have a mark
inside the cabinet which indicates areas potentially dangerous for the storage of these
vaccines. It is essential that staff are properly trained in the use of the equipment and that
they understand these problems.
The absorption cycle uses a constant heat source to drive the refrigeration cycle.
The source may be an electric heater, a gas or kerosene flame, or heat from a solar
thermal panel. Absorption appliances do not perform as well as their compressor-
driven equivalents and they require constant attention in order to ensure adequate
performance for the vaccine cold chain. The principal advantages of the absorption
cycle are the absence of moving parts and the possibility of multi-fuel operation.
The principal disadvantages are high maintenance costs and poor efficiency.
Kerosene units are sensitive to fuel impurities and require frequent burner adjustment
and maintenance. Temperature control in models using gas or kerosene is limited
and, even on the lowest flame setting, they can freeze TT, DTP and HepB vaccines.
10
The holdover time is the period during which the temperature of the vaccine is maintained below
+10°C in the absence of any power supply and at a given ambient temperature.
WHO/V&B/02.34 21
Models that combine vaccine storage with ice pack freezing in the same insulated
chamber do not control temperature or freeze ice packs as well as models that have
separate freezing and vaccine storage compartments.
Absorption refrigerators and freezers are unable to handle large cooling loads.
They are therefore best suited for point-of-use refrigeration in health facilities.
Nevertheless, they may have to be used for bulk vaccine storage in places where
electricity is unavailable.
WARNING: Some vaccines, e.g. HepB, freeze inside an absorption cycle refrigerator if
stored close to the evaporator and if the thermostat is set to maximum.
The use of solar units for vaccine storage can only be justified at present in situations
where no alternative fuel source is available. This situation may well arise at the
health facility level. It is unlikely to arise at the primary and intermediate levels.
Solar refrigerators are expensive to purchase and install. Maintenance has to be carried
out by skilled technicians and can be expensive. The batteries generally have to be
replaced every five to seven years. Vaccine storage capacity is quite limited for
intermediate-level applications, although perfectly satisfactory for health facilities.11
Solar power reviews have stressed the need to integrate solar refrigeration for EPI
with other primary health care and community applications. These applications include
the lighting of health centres and health workers’ homes, the provision of power for
radios and televisions, and income-generating applications such as battery-charging.
These additional applications should be strongly promoted because they help to create
the critical mass needed to support an effective maintenance network.
Wherever local purchasing rules allow, refrigerators and freezers should be chosen
from the WHO/UNICEF Product information sheets, which give detailed guidance
on the choice of equipment. Most of the products listed have been tested by
an independent laboratory against the performance criteria laid down in the
WHO/V&B Equipment performance specifications.
It may seem desirable to use locally manufactured domestic refrigerators and freezers
because they can be purchased with local currency and spare parts are freely available.
However, tests have shown that domestic appliances are not generally suitable for
vaccine storage, particularly in hot climates. WHO recommendations on this matter
are as follows.
11
The largest model currently available has a vaccine capacity of 85 litres but most models are much
smaller.
Top-opening models
Top-opening chest refrigerators and freezers are the first choice for bulk vaccine
storage in places where cold rooms or freezer rooms are not justified. All the
compression cycle refrigerators and freezers listed in the Product information sheets
are of this type. Top-opening units have the following advantages over front-opening
units.
• They are more efficient and often better insulated.
• The holdover time is greatly improved in the ice-lined refrigerator models that
are available.
• No cold air is lost when the lid is opened.
• They are often less expensive.
12
See How to modify a domestic refrigerator for safer vaccine storage. Manila: WPRO; 1996.
13
EEFO handling is safer than first-in-first-out (FIFO) handling. In general, if two batches of vaccine
are delivered at different times the one arriving second will have the later expiry date. However, this
is not always the case, particularly if vaccines are obtained from different sources. The expiry date
should always be checked and the vaccine with the shorter shelf-life should be distributed first,
even if it arrived second.
WHO/V&B/02.34 23
Front-opening models
Small front-opening refrigerators or refrigerator/freezer combinations are best used
at health facilities, where easy access to vaccine and a separate freezing compartment
for ice packs are needed. Front-opening refrigerators and freezers have the following
disadvantages for bulk vaccine storage.
• Most models are designed for domestic use and are poorly insulated.
• No ice-lined models are available.
• Cold air is lost every time the door is opened.
• Cold air leaks out if the door seals are defective.
• The shelves or drawers may limit the size of packages that can be stored.
• Vaccines can only be placed safely in the middle section because there is a
temperature gradient in the cabinet.
• Vaccines may freeze if stored close to the evaporator plate. The tray below
the evaporator must not be removed as this would further increase the risk of
freezing.
WARNING: Ice packs should never be frozen in freezers containing bulk vaccine.
4.4 Refrigerants
Until recently the chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gases R11 and R12 were very widely
used as insulation foaming agents and refrigerants. However CFCs cause severe
damage to the earth’s ozone layer and contribute significantly to global warming.
The Montreal Protocol14 called for the cessation of CFC consumption by 1 January
1996 in industrialized countries and by 1 January 2010 in developing countries.
Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants, e.g. R22 and R502, are still allowed
as transitional substances even though they also contribute, albeit to a lesser extent,
to ozone depletion and global warming. HCFCs are to be phased out worldwide by
2040. Their use should be avoided wherever possible.
14
See: Avoiding a double phase out: alternative technologies to HCFCs in refrigeration and air
conditioning. UNEP; 1999. This document includes tables of recognized refrigerants, with
data on their global-warming and ozone-depleting potentials. For detailed information on
issues relating to the Montreal Protocol, refer to the UNEP OzonAction programme on-line
library at: http://www.uneptie.org/ozonaction.html
Some industrialized countries, notably the United Kingdom and the USA, continue
to allow the export of equipment that uses R12, which is also being reclaimed and
recycled in many countries, and simple tools are available for this purpose. Recycling
should be encouraged where it is possible and applicable, because it ensures that
equipment can continue to be used. Recycling also helps to reduce and delay the
release of CFCs into the atmosphere. The skills and tools needed to handle several
different refrigerants may not be available. Refrigerator technicians’ tool kits, suitable
for equipment containing CFC12, are listed in the WHO/UNICEF Product
information sheets.
If possible, select refrigerators, freezers and cold rooms that use the same refrigerant.
This has obvious operational advantages.
• Label equipment. Fix a permanent label on the front of every appliance indicating the
type of refrigerant it contains.
• Label salvaged components. Label every reusable component salvaged from old
refrigeration circuits. The label must indicate the refrigerant used in the equipment from
which the component was obtained. Salvaged components must only be used in
equipment that uses the same refrigerant.
• Provide the correct tools and spare parts. Provide all service engineers with the
correct tools and spare parts for the equipment for which they are responsible.
Section 2 described a method for establishing storage volumes for individual vaccines.
In the present section these data are used to calculate the total refrigeration capacity
required to store all the vaccines in the schedule.
WARNING: Choosing the wrong grossing factor can lead to serious errors when ordering
equipment. In order to avoid such errors, follow the recommendations set out below.
WHO/V&B/02.34 25
• Refrigerators and freezers meeting WHO vaccine storage standards
The WHO/UNICEF Product Information Sheets give the vaccine storage capacity
of each model. Use the figure for vaccine storage capacity to calculate what equipment
is needed. Do not use the figure for manufacturer’s gross volume for this purpose.
• Cold stores
The grossing factor for cold stores varies according to the size of the room and the
layout of the shelving. Using the grossing factors given in Worksheet 2, calculate the
approximate size of the room in order to check that the space allocated to house the
cold store is large enough. The grossing factors given on the worksheet take into
account that it is never possible to use 100% of the volume of a shelving unit.
In each of the examples given it has been assumed that only two-thirds of the available
shelf capacity can be used under normal circumstances.
Worksheet 2 uses the volumes calculated for the individual vaccines (Worksheet 1).
Add up the volumes of all the vaccines to be kept at each of the two storage
temperatures in order to obtain the total volumes. These totals are used to estimate
what refrigeration equipment is required. An estimate of the total volume of diluents,
droppers and transport boxes is also entered at the bottom of the worksheet.
This figure can be used for planning storage at ambient temperature.
An Excel version of the worksheet is available on the CD supplied with this document.
Refrigerated storage
As storage temperature
-15 to -25°C +2 to +8°C
Notes:
B) Other items include any non-EPI vaccines, sera and testing kits to be stored with EPI vaccines.
D) Net vaccine capacities for WHO tested equipment are quoted in the Product information sheets. If other equipment is used,
take the manufacturer’s quoted gross storage volume in litres. For freezers, this number should then be divided by 1.5 to
obtain an estimate for net vaccine capacity. For ice-lined refrigerators the numbers should be divided by 2.5.
F) The cold store grossing factors shown in the table below are based upon the room layouts shown in Figure 6. The figures
assume that only two thirds of the calculated net shelf volume can effectively be used for vaccine storage.
J) Select shelf depth to suit diluent/dropper boxes (600mm typical). Select shelf spacing to suit boxes.
K) Boxes assumed to be stacked on top of one another.
L) Calculated volume allowing for circulation space.
WHO/V&B/02.34 27
4.6 Refrigerators or cold room? Freezers or freezer room?
Refrigerators and freezers are suitable for storing relatively small quantities of vaccine,
i.e. up to about 1000 litres. Where larger quantities are kept, cold rooms and freezer
rooms are more cost-effective.
The largest ice-lined vaccine refrigerator currently available stores 169 litres of
vaccine. The largest vaccine freezers store 264 litres of vaccine. The practical upper
limit to the number of such units in a vaccine store lies between 5 and 10.15
The smallest reach-in cold store models have a gross volume of about 2 to 3 cubic
metres, although a gross volume of 5 cubic metres is probably the practical minimum
with twin refrigeration units.
Before a cold room or freezer room can be installed the site has to be prepared
to receive it. The unit then has to be assembled and commissioned. Two skilled
workers take between one and four days to assemble and commission a cold store
with a capacity of up to about 50 cubic metres. The cost of assembly is approximately
10% of the free on board (FOB) cost of the room and equipment.
Vaccines must be kept cold during transportation. They may be transported in vaccine
carriers or in a refrigerated vehicle. Unless a refrigerated vehicle is used, all vaccine
stores require ice pack freezers or a freezer room.
The required capacity for ice pack freezing depends on the chosen strategy for
vaccine distribution. Let us suppose that distributions are made to four substores
every four weeks. Deliveries could be spread evenly over the four weeks or they
could all take place on the same day. In the second case the required ice pack freezing
capacity would be four times greater than in the first. Despite this apparent
disadvantage, concentrated delivery or collection may be the best option. For example,
it may encourage the efficient use of transport. Vaccine distribution may also be
planned to coincide with regular meetings with outlying EPI staff. Ice pack freezers
do not have to be run permanently.
Use the following procedure to calculate the volume of ice packs needed.
15
Multiple units impose large starting currents and generate much waste heat that has to be removed.
The capacity for freezing ice packs is reduced if the electricity supply is interrupted.
No figures for this reduced performance are given in the Product Information Sheets.
However, bulk ice pack freezers are unlikely to operate satisfactorily on less than
15-18 hours of electricity a day, particularly in hot climates. For 15-24 hours of
electricity a day the freezing capacity is likely to be reduced roughly pro rata,
depending on the efficiency of the appliance. For example, if electricity were available
for only 20 hours a day the freezing capacity would be reduced to approximately
20/24 of the manufacturer’s rated capacity.
An Excel version of the worksheet is available on the CD supplied with this document.
WHO/V&B/02.34 29
Worksheet 3. Ice pack freezing capacity
Store:
K. Selected equipment: K.
Notes:
1) This worksheet is for estimating purposes only. It does not take account of situations where some vaccine deliveries are
much larger than the calculated average volume.
2) If deliveries and/or collections are concentrated over short periods, the key requirement is to provide sufficient freezing and
storage capacity to meet maximum demand.
3) Data for items D, F and G may be obtained from the Product information sheets, or from the vaccine carrier manufacturer.
4) Use the Product information sheets or manufacturer’s data to select equipment. Equipment must be able to freeze and store
the required weight of icepacks at the prevailing ambient temperature. If the electricity supply is intermittent, ask the freezer
manufacturer to advise on how this will affect icepack freezing performance.
5) Icepack freezing capacity in the Product information sheets is generally quoted in kgs/24 hrs. The maximum weight of
icepacks required in 24 hours largely determines the required icepack freezing capacity.
1. Ensure electrical safety. All the wiring in a vaccine store should be carried
out by a qualified electrician. All circuits should have effective earth protection.
The power leads of appliances should be no longer than is necessary. If they
are too long they should be cut back to the correct length. They must never be
coiled in order to avoid obstruction, because coiled cables heat up and may
catch fire.
2. Ensure a stable electricity supply. Provide a voltage stabilizer for each appliance
in accordance with the recommendations in Section 8.
3. Provide circuits with correct ratings. Connect electric refrigerators and
freezers to a power supply rated to take the maximum load of the appliances.
The maximum electrical load occurs when a compressor starts up. Compressor
start-up loads are five or six times the rated running loads. When power is
restored after an extended supply failure, all the compressors in the vaccine
store start simultaneously. Power circuits should therefore be rated to take the
combined starting load of all the refrigerators and freezers connected to each
circuit.16
4. Wire units in permanently. Refrigerators and freezers should be wired
permanently into wall outlets. This overcomes the risk of deliberate or
accidental disconnection. It is desirable to have a key-operated switch for each
unit. Alternatively, the switches may be located in a lockable cupboard.
If removable plugs are used they should be fixed to the wall outlets with
adhesive tape. Wall switches should be taped permanently in the “on” position.
If voltage regulators are used they should be ordered with wire-in connection
units rather than with sockets.
5. Avoid small, poorly ventilated rooms. Refrigerators and freezers produce
heat. When equipment is placed in a small room with poor ventilation this heat
cannot escape and the equipment cannot operate effectively. In order to avoid
overheating, provide a minimum of 4.5 m3 of room volume per 100 litres of
vaccine stored. There should be some means of permanent ventilation in the
room.
6. Space units away from walls and other equipment. It is essential to provide
good ventilation around the equipment, particularly the condenser, which emits
a lot of heat. Refrigerators and freezers should be spaced at least 20 cm away
from walls and 30 cm away from other equipment.
7. Mount units on pallets. Refrigerators and freezers should be mounted about
10 cm clear of the floor on their own wooden shipping pallets, or on concrete
or wooden blocks. This prevents corrosion when water is swept under units
during floor cleaning. It also improves ventilation. Make sure that units are
level and do not rock. Absorption cycle units must be perfectly level, otherwise
they will not operate correctly.
16
In electrical engineering terms, there should be no allowance for diversity.
WHO/V&B/02.34 31
4.9 Prefabricated cold stores
Cold stores are constructed with prefabricated modular insulated panels that are
supplied in a range of standard length and widths, often in multiples of 300 mm.
Panels are generally insulated with polyurethane foam in thicknesses ranging from
75 mm to 200 mm. Not all manufacturers offer panels over 100 mm thick, especially
in the smaller room sizes. The wall and ceiling panels may be faced with
plastic-coated zinc-plated or galvanized steel, or with aluminium or stainless steel.
Floor panels generally have a patterned non-slip finish. Doors are insulated and fitted
with airtight seals.
Most manufacturers can supply a full range of compatible components. These include
shelving units, interior light fittings and flexible transparent plastic strip curtains for
reducing cold air loss when the door is opened.
Cold rooms. Persons should not work for any length of time in a cold room unless they
are wearing warm clothing.
Freezer rooms. Provide staff with proper protective clothing, including gloves. Never allow
anybody who is not wearing this clothing to enter a freezer room . These precautions are
particularly important in hot climates where staff wear thin clothes and may not appreciate
the dangers of extreme cold.
Self-contained monobloc refrigeration units are often used for cold stores of up to
about 40-50 m3. These units may be wall-mounted or ceiling-mounted and are
available with cooling capacities of up to about 20 kW. Ceiling-mounted units have
the advantage of not taking up space that could otherwise be used for shelving units.
This can be particularly helpful in smaller cold rooms.
The condenser section generally discharges its waste heat into the space containing
the cold store. This heat must be removed by natural or mechanical ventilation.
Some monobloc units are designed so that the condenser discharges into the open air
via an external wall (Figure 3).
All vaccine cold stores should have a 100% stand-by refrigeration capacity. In practice
this means that rooms should be fitted with two identical refrigeration units operating
on a duty-sharing basis with automatic change-over control.18 In this way both units
can be maintained in a fully operational state.
roof-mounted
unit
evaporator
unit
weatherproof
unit (split system
similar)
wall-hung
unit
17
Because split systems require site-fabricated connections in the refrigeration lines they should only
be specified where a high standard of installation and maintenance can be relied on.
18
For larger rooms in hot climates it may be necessary to have four units running in pairs.
WHO/V&B/02.34 33
Avoiding frozen vaccine in +2°C to +8°C cold rooms
In a +2°C to +8°C cold room the evaporator coil temperature is approximately - 5°C and
the temperature of the outlet air may be below 0°C. Consequently, freeze-sensitive vaccines
may be destroyed if stored too close to the evaporator. In order to avoid this the following
precautions should be taken.
• Refrigeration units should be sited so that no shelving lies within the plume of cold air
close to the evaporator.
• Alternatively, the evaporator should be fitted with a mesh cage in order to prevent the
storage of vaccine in the danger zone.
• A ceiling-mounted unit should always be in the centre of a circulation aisle so that
vaccine stored on the upper shelves is not directly exposed to the stream of cold air
coming from the evaporator.
• The air outlet from a ceiling-mounted evaporator should be directed away from any
shelving in close proximity to it.
Refer also to Figure 6.
1. Floor loading. Multi-dose vaccines are very heavy. It is essential that the floor
structure of the building is adequate. In order to avoid structural problems it is
desirable to locate cold stores on a concrete slab resting on the ground rather
than on a raised floor. A safe working assumption is to allow for a floor loading
of 700 kg/m2 (about 7 kN/m2). A more accurate calculation may be necessary
in situations where the floor loading is critical.
2. Dimensional constraints. Some manufacturers require a working clearance
around the cold store in order to assemble the panels. Many manufacturers
design their panels so that they can be assembled from the inside. This means
that the amount of space required for the cold store is little more than the
external dimensions of the enclosure itself. It is important to check this point
with the manufacturer before finalizing the layout of the cold store
accommodation. Wherever possible, leave a clear space all round the cold store
for cleaning and inspection. Larger cold stores may require intermediate support
beams for the ceiling panels. Clearances are also required around the
refrigeration units. Wall-mounted units are usually located on the front wall of
the cold store beside the entrance door. The projecting part of the unit is then
accommodated in the working clearance at the front of the cold store.
Roof-mounted refrigeration units project above the top of the store, and a
clear working area between 0.5 and 1.5 metres above the roof of the store is
required for maintenance purposes.
3. Level floor. The floor on which the cold store is erected must be level.
A typical requirement is ± 3 mm. One way to create a level platform is to
construct a timber framework to support the floor panels, shim it up until it is
level and fill the voids between the framing members with dry sand. A raised
plinth also stops water coming into contact with the cold store floor panels as
a result of vigorous floor-washing. Long-term exposure to water can corrode
the steel panel facings.
Transportable cold stores are self-contained weatherproof units that do not need to
be enclosed in a building. They are often based on a standard shipping container.
They can be supplied with or without their own power supply.
A transportable cold store is more expensive to purchase and ship than a sectional
cold store of the same capacity. However, the additional expense may be partly
offset by a reduction in the costs of site preparation. A major advantage of
transportable cold stores is that they can easily be moved to an alternative site when
the need arises. This makes them particularly suitable for emergency use. In hot
climates they should be shaded from the sun.
In the past, cold store enclosures were commonly built on site with local materials.
Cold store technology has now advanced and prefabricated enclosures are normally
used. Site-built cold stores should only be contemplated in exceptional circumstances
and only if the necessary skills are available. In some countries site-built cold stores
may be less expensive to construct, especially if they are large. However, any initial
saving is likely to be outweighed by higher maintenance and running costs.
The design of a cold store enclosure and the design or selection of matching
refrigeration plant requires specialist engineering skills. The construction of a
satisfactory site-built cold store demands high standards of construction and close
attention to detail.
Every refrigerator, freezer and cold store used for vaccine storage must be fitted
with an independent temperature-monitoring device. Ideally, an automatic alarm
system should be available to alert staff whenever the temperature of the vaccine is
outside the safe limits.
There must be reliable procedures for protection against failure at all times of day
and night. Temperatures must be checked and recorded by a responsible member of
staff. There must be a contingency plan to safeguard the vaccine if there is a long
power cut or if the refrigeration equipment fails.
WHO/V&B/02.34 35
The following monitoring devices are suitable. Models are listed in the Product
information sheets.
• Dial thermometer stored with vaccine.
• Integral dial thermometer built into equipment casing. An integral external
thermometer is provided with any vaccine refrigerator or freezer that complies
with WHO standards.
• Externally mounted temperature recording device (Section 4.12.1).
• Freeze indicator, monitoring once-only exposure to a temperature below 0°C.
• Temperature data logger, functioning as a reusable cold chain monitor.
For example, it can be placed in a vaccine shipment at source and passed
through the entire cold chain. At the end of the journey, time and temperature
data can be downloaded to a personal computer and a complete picture of the
vaccine’s exposure to high and low temperature can be obtained.
Stem thermometers are also listed in the Product information sheets. However,
experience has shown that users experience difficulty in reading these thermometers.
For this reason they are best avoided.
Note that CCM cards continue to be listed in the Product information sheets.
However, these cards are primarily intended for monitoring shipments from vaccine
manufacturers to primary stores. They are difficult to use for in-country monitoring
and their use for this purpose has been largely superseded by the introduction of
electronic temperature data loggers.
Vaccine vial monitors (VVM) are the best time-temperature indicators in monitoring
heat exposure to individual vaccine vials. During the period that vaccines remain in
storage, the expiry dates of the stock must be regularly checked to ensure no older
batches are present which should have been distributed before more recent arrivals.
Also the integrity of the stocks should be checked by reviewing the status of the
VVMs for each batch or lot. If either of these monitors shows any significant colour
change during the period the vaccines have remained in storage, this indicates some
weakness in the cold chain system, and repair or maintenance of the cold chain
equipment may be needed.
Only vaccine stocks which are fit for use should be included in stock records.
Any expired vials, heat damaged vials or vials with VVMs beyond the discard point
should not appear in the available stock balance. If such vaccines need to be kept
until accounting or auditing procedures have been completed for example, they should
be recorded on a separate page or card until disposal.
Every cold room and freezer room should be equipped with an automatic recording
device capable of continuous or intermittent temperature monitoring. The device
should be fitted with alarm contacts.
Every cold store should have at least two temperature sensors. One should be fitted
near the evaporator(s), close to floor level. The other should be near the door and
high on the wall. Depending on the physical arrangement, rooms with twin
refrigeration units may need another sensor near the second unit. Large cold stores
may also need additional sensors in order to ensure that there are no cold spots or
hot spots.
WHO/V&B/02.34 37
4.12.2 Temperature alarm systems
All cold stores must be fitted with temperature alarm systems. Multi-channel systems
are available which can monitor several units simultaneously.
Refrigerators and freezers complying with WHO standards are not currently fitted
with integral alarms or alarm contacts. Nevertheless, it is desirable that refrigerators
and freezers in which bulk vaccine is stored be fitted with temperature alarm sensors
linked to a multi-channel monitoring device.
Clearly, the alarm sounder must be located in a place where it can be heard. If the
vaccine store is unattended outside working hours the best arrangement is to have
the alarm system linked by telephone to the emergency services or to the duty officer’s
home.
Temperature at or below 0°C. VACCINE AT RISK. Take immediate action to correct the low temperature and ensure that
the problem does not arise again. Inspect the freeze-sensitive vaccines and/or carry out a shake test (see Annex 2) to
establish if any has been frozen. Frozen vaccine must either be destroyed or tested to establish whether it is still potent.
Make a report.
Temperature between +8°C and +10°C. No further action is necessary if there has been a temporary power failure. Check
that the refrigeration unit is working, monitor the situation closely and take appropriate action if the temperature is not within
the normal range at the time of the next inspection.
Temperature above +10°C. VACCINE AT RISK. Take immediate action to implement the agreed contingency plan and
make a report.
Temperature below -25°C. Adjust thermostat. Check that the temperature is within the normal range at the time of the next
inspection.
Temperature above -15°C. No further action is necessary if there has been a temporary power failure. A temporary rise to
+10°C is permissible following an extended power cut. Check that the refrigeration unit is working, monitor the situation
closely and take appropriate action if conditions are not normal at the time of the next inspection.
Temperature above +10°C. VACCINE AT RISK. Take immediate action to implement the agreed contingency plan and
All refrigerators and freezers are classified on the basis of their performance in specific
temperature zones:
• a hot zone that ranges from 0°C to +43°C
• a temperate zone that ranges from 0°C to +32°C
• a cold zone that ranges from –5°C to +32°C
The temperature zones for which the appliances were tested and approved,
should be clearly marked on the appliance (see figure 5).
19
For more detailed information on temperature zones please refer to Product Information Sheets,
2000 edition, WHO/V&B/00.13
WHO/V&B/02.34 39
are not met and temperatures regularly exceed 32°C.
Rooms cooled by passive means should have ceilings that are at least 3 metres in
height. Tall rooms allow hot air generated by occupants and machinery to rise well
above the top of the refrigeration equipment. The hot air can then disperse through
high-level openings.
1. Cooling by passive means in hot dry climates. The walls of the vaccine store
should be shaded from the sun. The store should have small high-level windows,
preferably on opposite sides. A room on the lowest floor of a building with
more than one storey is cooler than a room immediately below a roof. A building
with thick walls stays cool during daytime for much longer than a building
with thin walls. In hot dry climates the cool night-time air can be used to
remove the heat of the day. This can be achieved by opening the windows in
the evening or by drawing air through the space using an extract fan activated
by a time switch.
2. Cooling by passive means in hot humid climates. The walls of the vaccine
store should be shaded from the sun. They should be perforated or should
have large permanent openings on opposite sides at low level and high
level. The openings should be at right angles to the prevailing wind so as to
ensure maximum cross-ventilation. The roof space should be well ventilated.
Planting around the building helps to cool the incoming air.
3. Cooling by mechanical means. High ambient temperatures are more likely to
develop if the vaccine store is small or if the refrigeration load is large.
In buildings where internal temperatures regularly exceed +35°C it may be
necessary to ventilate the space mechanically in order to remove heat that has
built up. The hot air must be extracted from the room. Ceiling fans of the
punka type are not suitable for this purpose because they may make matters
worse by circulating heated air from the upper part of the room.
Advice previously given by WHO and other agencies has generally concentrated
on the need to keep vaccines cold during transportation in temperate and hot
climates. Field experience in cold climates has shown that it is necessary to protect
freeze-sensitive vaccines from exposure to ambient temperatures below 0°C.
Observe the following guidelines if there is a risk of low temperatures during
transportation.
1. Prepare warm packs. Fill ordinary ice packs with cool tap water
(+10°C is ideal). Do not freeze them.
2. Protect freeze-sensitive vaccines. Keep DTP and its combinations with HepB
and Hib, and DT, Td, TT, liquid Hib and HepB vaccines in the centre of the
cold box or vaccine carrier and farthest from the warm packs.
3. Use a freeze indicator. Place a freeze indicator and a thermometer in the cold
box.
4. Check the warm packs. Check the warm packs from time to time to ensure
that they have not frozen. If they have started to freeze, thaw them out
completely and replenish the water. Once warm packs are fully frozen the
temperature inside the cold box drops rapidly in sub-zero conditions.
5. Use a heated vehicle. Where possible, use a vehicle with a heated goods
compartment that maintains the internal temperature above 0°C. Never leave
cold boxes or vaccine carriers in unheated vehicles, especially overnight.
If the programme uses a refrigerated vehicle for vaccine transportation,
ensure that it is fitted with a low-temperature heater circuit in order to provide
protection for the vaccine during the winter months.
6. Avoid cold conditions. Do not leave cold boxes or vaccine carriers outdoors
or in unheated rooms.
4.14 Lighting
BCG, measles, rubella, MR and MMR vaccines are damaged by exposure to daylight
and fluorescent lighting. These vaccines are normally supplied in vials made from
dark brown glass, which gives some protection against light damage. Nevertheless,
the vials should be kept covered and protected from light at all times. Vaccine packing
areas should be artificially lit if possible. It is desirable to use conventional incandescent
light bulbs in cold stores, vaccine packing areas and other places where vials are
likely to be removed from their packaging.
WHO/V&B/02.34 41
5. Space planning
Space is required in a vaccine store for a vehicle loading bay, a room to accommodate
the refrigeration equipment, a room to store diluents, droppers, packing materials
and other consumables such as injection equipment, waste management supplies and
spare parts, a room to pack the vaccine for dispatch, and an office for the storekeeping
staff. If possible the different activities should be housed in the same building,
although bulky consumables such as injection equipment and spare parts may have
to be stored elsewhere.
The detailed design of a vehicle loading bay is governed by the size and type of
vehicle used. The following matters should be considered.
1. Access. The loading bay and the route to it must be planned to allow easy
access for the largest vehicle used.
2. Security. Some vaccines, such as HepB, have a black market value. The loading
bay area should therefore be visible from the storekeeper’s office. Security is a
particular problem if the vaccine store is located in a medical stores compound
where other valuable commodities are kept.
3. Weather protection. A loading bay should preferably have a projecting canopy
to protect workers, vehicles and vaccines from sunlight, rain or snow during
loading and unloading.
4. Loading dock. Delivery vans can be loaded from ground level. However, it is
more convenient to load and unload lorries from a loading dock at the same
level as the floor of the vehicle. This makes it possible to use a trolley to wheel
vaccine into the vehicle. Alternatively, the lorry may be fitted with a tail lift.
A raised loading dock should be between 1.2 and 1.4 metres above the vehicle
parking area. Ideally, it should be built to match the height of the delivery
vehicle or should be fitted with a dock-levelling device.
5. Special requirements for refrigerated vehicles. Some programmes
use refrigerated vehicles to distribute vaccine from the primary store.
Specialized facilities and training are necessary if such vehicles are to be
operated safely and effectively. A refrigerated vehicle must be fitted with a
temperature logger; there should be a weatherproof electrical outlet to power
the vehicle’s refrigeration unit during loading and unloading operations; and
there should be sufficient space to store delivery crates if these are used in
place of cold boxes.
The refrigeration equipment area should be laid out so that diluents and OPV droppers
can be stored on easily accessible shelves close to the cold store. Each vaccine
manufacturer supplies diluent that is only compatible with its own vaccine. It is very
important that diluents be systematically stored and subjected to the same rigorous
stock control procedures as the vaccines with which they are intended to be used.
Experience shows that good control of diluent stock is more likely to be achieved
when it is stored close to the vaccine with which it is to be used.
The information in this section assumes that prefabricated cold stores with twin-
packaged refrigeration units are in use. Figure 6 shows typical layouts and clearances
for cold stores in a range of sizes from 5 m3 to 40 m3. Figure 7 shows the layout and
clearances required around refrigerators and freezers.
The design of cold stores exceeding about 50 m 3 is outside the scope of this guideline.
Specialist controls are needed so as to ensure that even temperatures are maintained
throughout. One way of avoiding this complexity is to install several smaller cold
stores with shared dividing walls.
The internal height of vaccine cold stores where stock is moved by hand should not
exceed 2.3 metres. This limit ensures that vaccine on the top shelves is accessible
without the use of steps. Rooms should be planned so that they accommodate the
greatest possible length of shelving, taking account of the locations of the entrance
door and the refrigeration units. A square plan is not necessarily the most space-
efficient, especially in smaller units. The optimum locations of refrigeration units
and shelving largely determines the layout.
Stock should be arranged so that there is free movement of air between the vaccine
packages, which should be stored about 5 cm away from the walls of the room.
This allows air movement behind the stock and helps to ensure an even temperature.
Slatted shelving also assists air circulation and is therefore preferable to solid shelving.
Figure 8 is a schematic layout for a typical vaccine packing area. The size of the
space required depends on the maximum daily throughput and the number of staff
employed. The packing area should connect to a direct route between the vaccine
store and the vehicle loading area. It must not form part of a main circulation route
because it has to be kept cool and secure. Vaccine packing involves a number of
linked activities, all of which should be accommodated in the same space.
WHO/V&B/02.34 43
Figure 6: Cold store planning and dimensions
40 cubic metres 30 cubic metres 25 cubic metres
4.8 m 4.8 m 4.2 m
3.3 m
3.3 m
4.2 m
3.9 m 3.0 m 3.0 m 2.1 m
1.5 m
1.8 m
2.7 m
2.7 m
20 cubic metres 15 cubic metres 10 cubic metres 5 cubic metres
(roof mounted chillers) (roof mounted chillers)
wall-hung
refrigeration
drain for floor
unit
washing
low-level high-level
ventilation ventilation
opening shelving for diluents opening or
extract fan
to packing area
PLAN OF TYPICAL COLD
ROOM INSTALLATION
high-level ventilation
for roof mounted unit
opening or extract
fan opposite inlet
0.5 to 1.5 m
alternative
roof-mounted
refrigeration unit
danger zone
wall-hung shown
refrigeration hatched
2.2 to 2.3 m typical
unit
shelving for
low-level vaccines
ventilation
opening
raised bottom
shelf
floor desirable
30 cm 20 cm
20 cm
minimum
0.9 m
Plan
Key-operated
switched
electrical outlets
Pallet base
Elevation
Notes:
1. For estimating purposes allow 1.5 m2 of floor space per 100 litres of vaccine.
2. The room volume should be no less than 4.5 cubic metres per 100 litres of vaccine.
3. Provide permanent ventilation at low and high level.
WHO/V&B/02.34 45
Figure 8: Vaccine packing area
Materials
Notes:
1) The worktop should be about
0.75 metres above floor level.
2) If additional area is required
for icepack conditioning install
empty sink icepack icepack shelves between 25 to 30 cm
boxes freezer conditioning wide at 30 cm centres above
the work surface.
The packing area should be laid out so as to encourage a logical flow of work.
Vaccines should be moved as little as possible in order to minimize the risk of breakage.
There should be a sink in the packing area for hand-washing and provision for
hygienic hand-drying.
Ice packs come out of the freezer at a temperature of about -20°C. They must be kept at
room temperature for a period in order to allow the temperature of the ice at the core of
each one to rise to 0°C. This process is called “conditioning”. The standard advice has
been that an ice pack is adequately conditioned as soon as beads of water cover its
surface. Experiments have shown that this is not always so and that cold-sensitive vaccines,
particularly HepB, can freeze inside a cold box even when ice packs appear to have been
correctly conditioned.
When ice packs are laid out on a table they create their own microclimate. This extends
the conditioning process. The following procedure is recommended.
• Lay out ice packs, preferably in single rows but never in more than two rows.
• Leave a 5 cm space all round each ice pack.
• Wait until there is a small amount of water inside the ice packs. This takes up to an
hour at +20°C and rather less at higher temperatures. Shake one of the ice packs
every few minutes. The ice is conditioned as soon as it begins to move about slightly
inside its container.
Figure 9 shows the layout of the vaccine storekeeper’s office, which should be located
as close as possible to the vaccine store, the packing area and the loading bay.
This helps the storekeeper to supervise activities. There should be adequate space
and connections for a telephone, a fax machine and a computer terminal. Even if
these are not installed immediately it is likely that they will be required in the future.
WHO/V&B/02.34 47
Figure 9: Storekeeper’s office
2.5 metres
0.9 m
Adjustable shelving
View to
loading
bay
2.1 metres
Filing
cabinets
Transport boxes, cold boxes and other packing materials should be stored near the
vaccine packing area.
The volume of the transport boxes received with each international vaccine shipment
can be calculated using Worksheets 1 and 2. If these boxes are to be used for onward
shipment to intermediate stores the packing materials store must clearly be large
enough to hold them.
At the intermediate level the original transport boxes are likely to be discarded or
used for other purposes. Vaccine carriers are used thereafter for delivery to health
facilities. At the intermediate level one or other of the following circumstances may
occur.
1. The intermediate store or the health facility collects vaccine. In this case
the store supplying the vaccine provides frozen ice packs. The collecting store
brings its own vaccine carrier and returns a set of melted ice packs for the next
collection.
In order to achieve the goals set out in the WHO-UNICEF-UNFPA safe injections
policy,20 adequate space must be allocated for storing AD syringes and matching
waste management supplies. These products should be fully integrated into the vaccine
supply chain as part of the proposed bundling policy, the intention of which is to
ensure that for every dose of vaccine there is always a sterile syringe and that for
every used syringe there is always a safety box in which it can be safely discarded.
Storage requirements for AD syringes and safety boxes are estimated as indicated
below.
• AD syringes. Allow about 1 cubic metre of net storage volume for every
15 000 syringes or 0.067 cubic metres per 1000 syringes. These are worst-
case figures. The requirement for the syringes in the 2000 edition of the Product
information sheets ranges from 16 000 to 29 000 units per cubic metre.
• Flat-packed safety boxes. There is considerable variation in the packed volume
of safety boxes before they are assembled and in the number of syringes each
type can accommodate. Table 3 is based on data from the 2000 edition of the
Product information sheets, normalized to show the potential syringe storage
capacity per cubic metre of packed boxes and the packed volume of the boxes
for every thousand 0.5-ml syringes.
PIS 2000 Capacity Capacity Syringe capacity per m 3 Volume of packed boxes
reference (litres) (syringes) of packed boxes per 1000 syringes (m3)
20
Safety of injections: WHO-UNICEF-UNFPA joint statement on the use of auto-disable syringes in
immunization services (WHO/V&B/99.25).
WHO/V&B/02.34 49
• Assembled safety boxes. Once safety boxes have been assembled and used
they must be stored in preparation for safe disposal. In general, safe disposal
takes place at health facilities and the amount of storage space required is not
great. However, some countries may choose to collect filled boxes in order to
dispose of them in a high-temperature incinerator at a central location.
Transportation and storage volumes then become logistically significant.
Table 4 gives the data for assembled boxes in the same format as that of
Table 3.
PIS 2000 Capacity Capacity Syringe capacity per m 3 Volume of assembled boxes
reference (litres) (syringes) of assembled boxes per 1000 syringes (m3)
The space needed for spare parts storage depends entirely on the arrangements for
servicing the cold chain equipment. If servicing is carried out by health ministry
technicians it may be necessary to keep spare parts and tools in the vaccine store.
If, however, a private company or another government agency is responsible for
servicing, most spare parts are likely to be stored elsewhere. This issue should be
considered at the planning stage.
In cold climates all working areas, including the vaccine packing area, must be heated.
In hot climates the vaccine packing area must be air-conditioned. It is also desirable
that the storekeeper’s office be air-conditioned. The temperature of the vaccine
packing area should be kept between +15°C and +20°C. It should never exceed
+25°C. Refer to Section 4.10.
The checklist below outlines the main steps in the process of site selection.
1. Determine the size of the store and its access requirements. Using the
information set out above, calculate the floor area required for the vaccine
store and the size of delivery vehicles.
2. Review potential sites. Consider the following alternatives.
a) Space in a government warehouse or other government building that
can be adapted for the purpose.
b) Commercial warehouses that can be purchased or rented.
c) Empty sites that can be developed.
4. Compare the suitabilities of possible sites. Consider the following issues before
a site is finally selected
Access
a) Is the site close to the relevant transport links, including roads and airport?
b) Is the site well served by public transport? Public transport is needed by
store staff. It may also be required by health workers when collecting
vaccine.
c) Is the site conveniently located for permanent and supervisory staff?
d) Is the route to the site accessible throughout the year?
e) Is there adequate access and parking space for vehicles?
Services
a) Does the site have a reliable mains electricity supply?
b) Is there a stand-by generator?
c) Does the site have a reliable telephone service?
WHO/V&B/02.34 51
Security
a) Would the site be secure?
b) Could the store be properly monitored and supervised outside normal
working hours?
Site development
a) Is the site well drained and without any risk of flooding?
b) Are ground conditions suitable for building economically?
c) Could the site be developed at an acceptable cost?
Future conditions
a) Would access to the site and the security of the electricity and
communications systems be adversely affected by future development
in the area?
The following minimum standards are desirable in any vaccine storage building.
Most are essential in a primary or intermediate store.
WHO/V&B/02.34 53
Floors
• Smooth, level and completely free from rising damp.
• Finished with floor paint, tiles, terrazzo, vinyl sheet or some other washable
dust-free surface.
• Floors on which cold stores are to be built must be levelled to a tolerance of ±3
mm over the area of the cold store.
• It is desirable for cold stores to be raised on a low plinth (25-50 mm). This
prevents water used for floor washing from running under the floor panels.
Alternatively, the junction between the cold store and the floor may be sealed
with waterproof mastic.
Fire protection
• The building should be easily accessible to the fire service. A water hydrant
should be provided if this is required by the fire service.
• The building should not contain a kitchen or other significant fire hazard.
• The building should be of non-combustible construction or should be lined
with non-combustible sheet materials.
• Rooms used for storing packing materials and other combustible items
should be isolated from the vaccine store by fire-resisting construction and by
fire-resisting self-closing doors.
• Flammable rubbish, such as cartons and boxes, must not be allowed to
accumulate in the store.
• Smoking should be forbidden and “No Smoking” signs should be displayed
throughout the store.
• The building should be fitted with fire and smoke detectors connected to an
external alarm sounder. If possible the alarm system should have an automatic
telephone connection to the fire service.
• There should be at least one carbon dioxide or powder fire extinguisher close
to the entrance door for extinguishing electrical fires.
• In addition there should be at least two carbon dioxide, powder or water
extinguishers within 30 metres of any part of the vaccine store for extinguishing
other types of fire.21
• Fire-detection and fire-fighting equipment must be inspected regularly, and
staff must receive adequate training in fire-fighting techniques and emergency
action. There should be regular fire drills.
21
In general the number, size and type of extinguishers should conform with local fire authority
requirements. These recommendations are based on British Standard 5306, Part III: Code of
practice for selection and installation of portable fire extinguishers.
Drainage
• Drainage systems should be fully operational and free of blockages.
• The surface water drainage system to the building and site must be effective
even at the height of the rainy season.
Pest control
• The building should be designed and maintained so as to minimize infestation
by insects, rodents, bats or other pests.
Cleaning
• The building should be cleaned two or three times a week and adequate
equipment should be available for this purpose.
Security
• The building should be secured against break-ins and should be located so that
access to it is controlled.
WHO/V&B/02.34 55
8. Power supply
8.1 Reliability
The reliability of the electricity supply is a key issue when refrigeration equipment is
being chosen. Where power cuts exceed 8 hours in 24 hours the use of ice-lined
refrigerators and high-performance freezers is essential (Section 4). Ice-lined
refrigerators are available with holdover times of up to 32.5 hours at an
ambient temperature of 43°C. Vaccine freezers can achieve a holdover time of up to
17.5 hours at this ambient temperature.
All sites storing large quantities of vaccine should have a stand-by power supply.
Often this is achieved most economically by locating the vaccine store in a hospital
compound or on some other site that already has a stand-by generator. If possible,
however, the generator should serve the vaccine store alone.
The Product information sheets give advice on choosing and buying a generator and
provide an outline specification. The size of the generator should be calculated by a
qualified electrical engineer or the equipment supplier.
A generator that serves only a vaccine store should be fitted with an automatic
starting device linked to the alarm system of the cold store or refrigerator/freezer.
If the vaccine store is served by a compound generator, this is generally started by
an automatic mains failure device. In this case there is no requirement for an alarm-
triggered start-up.
All generators should be run at least once a week and should be serviced regularly so
that they remain operational. The fuel tank should be kept full.
A generator should be sited so that it does not create a fire hazard. Typically,
it should be located in a separate building or in a weatherproof enclosure. The fuel
tank should be isolated and should be surrounded by a low wall or an earth bank in
order to prevent fuel spills from spreading. Both the generator and the fuel tank
should be located in a secure compound for the prevention of theft. The fuel filler
cap should be locked and the fuel line should be protected so that it cannot be tampered
with. Fire extinguishers capable of extinguishing fuel oil, engine and electrical fires
should be installed close to the generator and fuel tank.
The fuel supply for the generator must be a priority allocation. A running log should
be kept in order to monitor fuel consumption.
In many countries there are severe voltage fluctuations in the mains power supply.
Most compressor motors are damaged by fluctuations exceeding about ± 15%.
The problem can be overcome by fitting each piece of refrigeration equipment with
a voltage stabilizer.
Voltage stabilizers for cold stores should be specified by the cold store supplier.
When a voltage stabilizer is ordered for a refrigerator or freezer the following
information should be given to the supplier.
• Actual voltage fluctuations (recorded by an engineer or electrician).
• Nominal voltage.
• Whether a single-phase or three-phase supply is present.
• Frequency (50 Hz or 60 Hz).
• Nominal power of appliance compressor in watts.
The nominal power rating of the stabilizer should be about five times the nominal
power of the compressor in order to allow for the starting load.
WHO/V&B/02.34 57
9. Procurement,
commissioning and
maintenance of equipment
9.1 Procurement
The procurement of cold chain equipment, especially cold stores, is not simply a
question of preparing and inviting tenders. The person responsible for procurement
must ensure that the following steps are taken.
• For cold rooms and freezer rooms. Prepare a short list of manufacturers and
installers. If local tendering procedures permit, contact suitable cold store
manufacturers/installers and obtain technical information and budget costs.
Otherwise, obtain this information through a formal prequalification tendering
procedure. Technical information received should be used in conjunction with
Equipment performance specifications and test procedures. E1: Cold rooms
and freezer rooms (WHO/V&B/02.34) in order to prepare tender
specifications.
• For refrigerators and freezers. If possible, select equipment from the current
edition of the Product information sheets.
• Specify preparation of buildings. Draw up specifications to ensure that
the buildings are correctly prepared to receive the cold chain equipment,
with adequate power outlets, etc.
• Prepare buildings. Arrange building contracts to prepare buildings and monitor
progress and standards.
• Arrange storage space. Unless the cold chain equipment is to be delivered
directly to the point of use, arrange temporary storage space for it.
• Prepare tender specifications for equipment and for service agreements.
Prepare comprehensive specifications that clearly define performance
requirements, delivery arrangements, spare parts requirements, payment terms
and warranty terms. If appropriate, specify arrangements for installation and
after-sales service.
• Obtain tenders. Obtain tenders in accordance with local tendering procedures.
• Enter into contract with the supplier/installer. Finalize a detailed delivery
and installation programme with the successful tenderer and sign the contract.
• Monitor delivery and installation of cold chain equipment. Ensure that the
equipment is delivered in good condition and that the installation is correctly
carried out.
• Commission equipment. Ensure that the equipment is tested and that it meets
the specified performance standards.
Programme item Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
3.Prepare buildings
9.Commission equipment
10.Train staff
The WHO document Equipment performance specifications and test procedures E1:
Cold rooms and freezer rooms (WHO/V&B/02.34, revision date: 15 November
2002) may be used as a basis for specifying cold stores. The latest version of the
Product information sheets may be used as a basis for selecting other cold chain
equipment.
22
For an explanation of common trade terms refer to Management Sciences for Health,
Managing drug supply, Chapter 17, Fig. 17.2; Kumarian Press; 1997. Or refer to International
Chamber of Commerce, Incoterms 2000 at http://www.iccwbo.org/incoterms/preambles.asp
WHO/V&B/02.34 59
2. Supply-and-install tenders. Cold stores are generally tendered on a supply-
and-install basis. This ensures that the supplier is entirely responsible for
delivering, installing and commissioning a room in accordance with the tender
specification. In such cases it is essential to write the tendering documents so
that the detailed responsibilities of both parties are very clearly defined.
Disputes are inevitable if this does not happen. A workable allocation of
responsibilities is outlined below:
a) Client. The client organization prepares the space for the cold store
and provides electrical power and drainage points within the space.
Details of the space are given to the cold store installer at the tendering
stage.
b) Installer. The installer inspects the space allocated for the cold store
before installation begins and indicates any defects or omissions that
need to be rectified.
c) Client. The client organization corrects these defects or omissions within
a previously agreed period.
d) Installer. The installer reinspects the space and installs and commissions
the cold store. At or before the time of handover the installer runs a
training course in order to ensure that the client’s staff are able to operate
the equipment correctly.
Ensure that the tendering documents specify an adequate quantity of spare parts.
What is adequate depends very largely on whether the cold chain equipment supplier
has a service and distribution network in the country concerned. It also depends on
the funding arrangements. If a donor is paying for the equipment it may be easier to
fund a generous supply of spare parts at the time of the original order than to obtain
additional funding for spare parts at a later date. A five-year supply is a sensible
allowance if there is no local source. The location and management of spare parts
must also be considered.
9.4 Commissioning
At least 10% of the payment due to the cold store installer should be withheld until
a full commissioning test has been completed satisfactorily. The test procedure should
run for at least 48 hours. The appropriate running tests should be repeated for both
refrigeration units.
Cool-down time: Start the refrigeration unit when the room is empty and the same
temperature exists inside and outside the room. Keep the cold room door closed during
the test. Record the time needed for the internal temperature to drop below +8°C. Run the
test for at least 48 hours.
Running test: Record the number of hours that the compressor runs with the door closed
and the room empty. Monitor the internal and external temperatures, the evaporator and
condenser temperatures, and the pressures of the system. Measure the maximum
temperature difference in the cold room and record the locations of any warm and cold
spots.
Temperature-rise test: Cut off the electricity supply to the room and measure the period
required for the internal temperature to rise to 5°C above the normal operating temperature.
Control and monitoring equipment tests: Test the operation of the automatic duty-
sharing, temperature control and temperature-monitoring and alarm equipment.
If computerized temperature monitoring is used, load, configure and test the software.
Stand-by generator operation test: Check the power output of the stand-by generator
and the operation of the automatic mains failure control system. Run the generator
continuously for 48 hours under load.
9.5 Training
Staff must be adequately trained in the use of the equipment. The cold store
installer must provide a user training course. If there is no maintenance agreement
the installer should also organize a technicians’ training course. In addition,
see User’s handbook for vaccine cold rooms or freezer rooms (WHO/V&B/02.31)
and its companion volume How to look after a cold room or freezer room:
self-assessment tool (WHO/V&B/02.30), which provide more general training
material on cold store maintenance and vaccine management.
The maintenance of refrigerators, freezers and cold stores may be carried out by
cold chain technicians employed by health ministries, government or parastatal
maintenance organizations, or private sector service organizations.
In all cases there must be a reporting system for recording breakdowns and monitoring
the effectiveness of repair procedures. A written service agreement should be drawn
up with the service provider, covering the following matters.
• Period of agreement. Agreements should have a defined term and a legal and
financial mechanism for ending the contract in the event of non-compliance by
either party.
• Ownership and location of spare parts. Decide whether spare parts are to be
purchased by the service agency or the immunization service, and where they
are to be stored.
WHO/V&B/02.34 61
• Preventive maintenance regime. Cold stores and other key cold chain
equipment must be inspected and serviced regularly in order to ensure correct
functioning. The frequency of the inspections and the nature of the work to be
carried out must be defined.
• Service response rate. Define acceptable service response rates in the event
of equipment failure. There may be several levels. For example, the service
response requirement for a primary or higher-level intermediate store may be
more stringent than the response requirement at a remote district store.
• Sanctions in cases of non-compliance. Define the financial or administrative
penalties that can be applied if the performance of the maintenance agency is
inadequate. This may be difficult in cases where a government body is used.
However, it is important to ensure that some effective sanction can be exercised,
otherwise the service agreement is worthless.
• Payment terms. The possibilities include an annual service fee, payment for
parts and labour, payment for labour only, or some combination of these.
In the case of a government agency an internal market arrangement must be
established.
WHO/V&B/02.34 63
10. Equipment performance specifications and test procedures: E7: Cold chain
accessories. Geneva, 1997 (unpublished document WHO/EPI/LHIS/97.10;
available from Vaccines and Biologicals, World Health Organization, 1211
Geneva 27, Switzerland and on the Internet at http://www.who.int/vaccines-
documents/DocsPDF/www9512/e07-9512.pdf).
11. Equipment performance specifications and test procedures: E1: Cold rooms
and freezer rooms. Geneva, 2002 (unpublished document WHO/V&B/02.33;
available from Vaccines and Biologicals, World Health Organization,
1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland and on the Internet at www.who.int/vaccines-
documents/DocsPDF02/www714.pdf).
12. Thermostability of vaccines, Geneva, 1998 (unpublished document
WHO/GPV/98.07; available from Vaccines and Biologicals, World Health
Organization, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland and on the Internet at
www.who.int/vaccines-documents/DocsPDF/www9661.pdf).
13. WHO/UNICEF. Product Information Sheets. 2000 edition.
Geneva, 2000 (unpublished document WHO/V&B/00.13; available from
Vaccines and Biologicals, World Health Organization, 1211 Geneva 27,
Switzerland and on the Internet at www.who.int/vaccines-documents/
DocsPDF00/www518.pdf). (Essential source document. Revised regularly.)
14. Vaccine volume calculator. An aid for the introduction of new vaccines.
Geneva, 2001 (unpublished document WHO/V&B/01.27; available from
Vaccines and Biologicals, World Health Organization, 1211 Geneva 27,
Switzerland and on the Internet at www.who.int/vaccines-documents/
DocsPDF01/www586.pdf).
15. Quality of the cold chain: WHO-UNICEF policy statement on the use of
vaccine vial monitors in immunization services. Geneva, 1999
(unpublished document WHO/V&B/99.18; available from Vaccines and
Biologicals, World Health Organization, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland and
on the Internet at www.who.int/vaccines-documents/DocsPDF99/
www9928.pdf).
16. Safety of injections: WHO–UNICEF–UNFPA joint statement on the use of
auto-disable syringes in immunization services. Geneva, 1999
(unpublished document WHO/V&B/99.25; available from Vaccines and
Biologicals, World Health Organization, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland and
on the Internet at www.who.int/vaccines-documents/DocsPDF99/
www9948.pdf).
17. WHO policy statement: The use of opened multi-dose vials in
subsequent immunization sessions. Geneva, 2000 (unpublished document
WHO/V&B/00.09; available from Vaccines and Biologicals, World Health
Organization, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland and on the Internet at
www.who.int/vaccines-documents/DocsPDF99/www9924.pdf).
18. How to modify a domestic refrigerator for safer vaccine storage. Manila, 1996.
WHO/WPRO.
19. Getting started with vaccine vial monitors: Questions and answers on field
operations. Geneva, 2002 (unpublished document WHO/V&B/02.35; available
from Vaccines and Biologicals, World Health Organization, 1211 Geneva 27,
Switzerland and on the Internet at www.who.int/vaccines-documents/
DocsPDF02/www716.pdf).
The performance of an existing cold store can often be improved. The following
items should be checked.
Temperature control
The temperature in a +2°C to +8°C cold room should not be lower than +2°C or
higher than +8°C at any point. The temperature in a freezer room should remain
between -15°C and -25°C throughout. Check the temperature at several places in
the room with a thermometer. Note that the WHO recommendation on above-zero
vaccine storage has changed. Equipment, controls and alarms may need to be adjusted
in order to ensure that temperatures below +2°C do not occur.
Check the temperature again. If it remains too high the refrigeration unit may not be
powerful enough. Alternatively, the insulation may be inadequate or wet. In order
to rectify these problems it is necessary to obtain specialist advice.
The following equipment should be installed with every cold store that is intended to
hold a large quantity of vaccine.
• A continuous temperature monitoring device.
• An alarm system.
• A stand-by refrigeration system.
• A stand-by electricity supply.
WHO/V&B/02.34 65
Annex 2:
The “shake test”
Purpose: The shake test is designed to determine whether adsorbed vaccines (DPT, DT, Td, TT or hepatitis B) have been
frozen. After freezing, the vaccine is no longer a uniform cloudy liquid, but tends to form flakes which gradually settle to the
bottom after the vial has been shaken. Sedimentation occurs faster in a vaccine vial which has been frozen than in a
vaccine vial from the same manufacturer which has never been frozen.
Note that individual batches of vaccine may behave differently from one another. Therefore the test procedure described
below should be repeated with all suspect batches. In the case of international arrivals, the shake test should be conducted
on a random sample of vaccine. However, if there is more than one lot in the shipment, the random sample must include a
vial taken from each and every lot.
Test procedure:
1. Prepare a frozen control sample: Take a vial of vaccine of the same type and batch number as the vaccine you
want to test, and made by the same manufacturer. Freeze the vial until the contents are solid, and then let it thaw.
This vial is the control sample. Clearly mark the vial so that it cannot later be used by mistake.
2. Choose a test sample: Take a vial of vaccine from the batch that you suspect has been frozen. This is the test
sample.
3. Shake the control and test samples: Hold the control sample and the test sample together in one hand and shake
vigorously for 10-15 seconds.
5. Compare the vials: View both vials against the light to compare the sedimentation rate. If the test sample shows a
much slower sedimentation rate than the control sample, the test sample is probably potent and may be used. If the
sedimentation rate is similar and the test sample contains flakes, the vial under test has probably been damaged by
freezing and should not be used. Note that some vials have large labels which conceal the vial contents. This
makes it difficult to see the sedimentation process. In such cases, turn the sample and reference vials upside down
and observe sedimentation taking place in the neck of the vial.
Subsequent action: If the test procedure indicates that the test sample has been damaged by freezing, you should notify
your supervisor immediately. Standard Operating Procedures should then be followed to ensure that all damaged vaccine
is identified and that none of this damaged vaccine is distributed or used.