Transportation and Supply Chain

Anand Narasimhan of the Simha Foundation in the U.S. will develop a program that encourages immunization and financial planning by using an incentive-based game that engages mothers both in the developed world and in disadvantaged communities. Mothers with financial resources will be encouraged to deposit small amounts of money in an interest-bearing account to create savings accounts for disadvantaged mothers, who will gain access to the accounts when they attend immunization campaign events.

Arunprakash Karunanithi of the University of Colorado Denver in the U.S. seeks to develop vaccine supply chain optimization software that evaluates not only direct costs but also indirect environmental and public health costs such as the greenhouse gases emitted due to the cold supply chain requirements and the disposal of medical waste. This tool will enable public health programs in low- to middle-income countries to design localized immunization supply systems that have reduced environmental and health impacts.

Keith Bartlett of True Energy in the United Kingdom will work with stakeholders in the immunization community to create a prototype vaccine storage device that uses the properties of water density to maintain vaccines at 4°C during the "last mile" of the cold chain. A water container that maintains the liquid at a steady temperature of 4°C will be in contact with the vaccine storage area, preventing temperature fluctuations that can damage or destroy vaccines.

Noor Sabah Rakhshani of the Trust for Vaccines and Immunization in Pakistan proposes to develop children's polymer ankle bands incorporating electrochemical indicators that change color at specified time intervals to remind mothers of their childrens' vaccine due dates. This low-cost technology would work well in areas where SMS/text reminders are not feasible due to limited cell phone coverage and lack of funds for cell phone hardware and accounts.

K.O. Antwi-Agyei of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in Ghana will set up a monitoring system using paper reports and SMS mobile phone technology to assess the management of vaccines at randomly selected storage points throughout the country. Baseline data on vaccine wastage will be established and best practices documented to create measures to reduce wastage at various points in the vaccine supply chain in Ghana.

Ben Gilbert and Andrew Brown of the University of Canberra in Australia will develop a regional support network for medical supply managers in Pacific Island countries that can help them to better apply the formal training they received to manage vaccine supply systems. By engaging them in a buddy support system, Gilbert and Brown hope to empower these managers to overcome cultural, educational, social and historical factors that hinder effective management styles, and help them operate supply systems that are more responsive to immunization challenges in those developing countries.

Mira Johri of the University of Montreal Hospital and colleagues from Pratham Education Foundation in India propose to develop effective methods for health education in low-literacy communities to enable less educated women and families to understand the purpose of vaccinating children and the benefits of timely and appropriate utilization of immunization services.

Paul Kilgore of Wayne State University in the U.S. proposes to develop a dynamic immunization tracking system using smart phone and palm scanning technology to create and store vaccination records in cloud computers. Clinics will be able to retrieve and update records anywhere, and program managers will manage vaccine supplies in real-time.

Anastasia Liya Vitkin of Freshpoint Holdings SA of Switzerland will explore new printing technologies for use in the development of a printable label that can be used on vaccines to indicate when contents have surpassed a set temperature threshold or exceeded a cumulative temperature limit. The goal is to create a label that can be printed using low-end, low-cost printing techniques and that will be compatible with other printed temperature indicators.

Anthony Battersby of River Energy Networks in the United Kingdom will develop and field test a simple inexpensive micro-hydroturbine that can drive a generator to power vaccine refrigerators and other health care facility equipment. Proof-of-concept models will be tested in Nigeria using components designed for simplicity and reliability.