Controlled temperature chain: Reaching the unreached in resource-limited settings

Authors

  • Geetha Mani Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine Karpaga Vinayaga Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre
  • Raja Danasekaran Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute
  • Kalaivani Annadurai Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v16i3.32880

Keywords:

Controlled temperature chain, Immunization, MenAfriVac

Abstract

Geographical distance from health centre and the costs and constraints involved in cold chain maintenance are important factors influencing poor immunization coverage in remote areas of resource-limited countries. Controlled temperature chain (CTC) is an approach which uses the innate heat stability specific to certain vaccines, to reduce the dependency on cold chain and has been accepted for potential use in situations where cold chain maintenance is not feasible and limits immunization programme effectiveness. In 2012, MenAfriVac, Meningitis A conjugate vaccine became the first vaccine to be pre-qualified by World Health Organization for use under CTC. Various existing vaccines are being approved for CTC use in low-resource settings. Proper CTC labelling and effective temperature monitoring are important considerations. While cold chain is critical and should be maintained as always, CTC is a useful alternate option which needs to be explored to reach the unreached in limited-resource settings.

Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.16(3) 2017 p.477-479

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Author Biography

Geetha Mani, Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine Karpaga Vinayaga Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre



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Published

2017-06-09

How to Cite

Mani, G., Danasekaran, R., & Annadurai, K. (2017). Controlled temperature chain: Reaching the unreached in resource-limited settings. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science, 16(3), 477–479. https://doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v16i3.32880

Issue

Section

Brief Communications