title: Power cuts and EPI vaccine storage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the integrity of EPI vaccine storage during interruptions to the power supply.
  
  
  METHODS
  Health centres in Colombo District.
  
  
  METHODS
  An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on staff compliance with regulations of the expanded program of immunisation (EPI) and alternative facilities available for refrigeration during power failure. The refrigerator and storage conditions were inspected. The stored vaccines were tagged with thermosensitive cold chain monitors, which were read on revisiting the clinic 14 days later. During the study period, power cuts of 2 hours' duration were in force daily. A control study was carried out when there was no interruption to power supply.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) and measles vaccines had been exposed to temperatures outside the prescribed range during power cuts. Oral polio vaccine had adequate storage with power cuts of 2 hours' duration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alternative facilities for vaccine storage during power cuts were not available and the potency of DPT and measles vaccines were compromised with interruptions to power of 2 hours' duration or more.
authors.affiliation: University of Colombo.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Senanayake
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Perera
authors.forename: T U
authors.initials: TU
authors.lastname: De Silva
mesh_terms: D004356:Drug Storage; D004560:Electricity; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D012034:Refrigeration; D013188:Sri Lanka; D014612:Vaccines
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines