In Africa, finding durable and original vaccine fridges can be very challenging. This is why Aptech Africa brings you different sizes of vaccine fridges and ice-pack solar freezers from Dulas.
There have been significant vaccine losses reported in the past when vaccines have not been placed in a vaccine fridge upon arrival at the practice. This is hospitals should always use the following best practices when handling vaccines;
- Domestic fridges should not be used to store vaccines. Keeping vaccines in their original packaging protects them from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light which may lead to loss of potency. If vaccines are inadvertently left at room temperature, they should be moved immediately to a vaccine fridge, quarantined and marked so that they are not used.
- Medications should be labeled with details of how long they have been kept outside of the cold-chain so that they can provide advice on whether or not they can be used or should be disposed of.
- Care should be taken to ensure that these vaccines are not inadvertently administered until after advice has been sought from Medicines Information in your local Health. Where vaccines are being transported between pharmacies and GP surgeries robust local arrangements should be in place to ensure the cold-chain is not breached.
- Vaccine fridges must be used for storing vaccinations and domestic fridges must not be used for the storage of vaccines under any circumstances.
- Practices should ensure that they have adequate space to store vaccines required for immunization programs at any time of the year. Additional storage capacity may be required for example when the flu program is being delivered.
- When placing vaccines in the vaccine fridge, ensure that there is sufficient space left for air to circulate (no more than 50% full) and do not place vaccines near to the side or back wall of the fridge to prevent freezing. It is important that systems are in place to avoid accidental interruption of the electrical supply either by using a switchless socket or marking the socket to ensure that the plug is not accidentally switched off.
- Vaccine fridges should be placed away from heaters or sunlight in an area that is ventilated and records should be kept of regular maintenance, electrical and calibration tests as per manufacturer’s guidelines.
- Vaccines should not be stored in the door of the fridge and the vaccine fridge should not be used to store anything other than vaccines. Reconstituted vaccines should be stored in accordance with the vaccine SPC/packaging insert.
- It is good practice to note time of restocking on temperature recording charts to explain short periods of temperature variations and door opening should be kept to a minimum.
Putting all the above in consideration Aptech chooses Dulas as the best manufacturer of Vaccine and Ice-pack solar freezers/ refrigerators to give all the solutions with different sizes and packages. Models supplied include: VC30SDD-25.5L, VC50SDD-52.5L, VC60SDD-57L, VC88SDD-88L, VC110SDD-110L, VC150SDD-102L, VC200SDD-132L, VC225Ltr-184.5L.
Utilizing optimized solar technology, the refrigerators/freezers offer the perfect balance of array size and autonomy to deliver exceptional reliability whatever the weather. Fully GAVI CCEOP compliant with the highest level of Grade A Freeze Protection and a +5C to +43C extended temperature operating range.
