title: Vaccine storage and cold chain monitoring in the North West region of Cameroon: a cross sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The cold chain must be monitored continuously in order to guarantee vaccines' quality. From field reports and previous studies, cold chain monitoring for expanded program on immunization (EPI) is still not satisfactory in Cameroon. This study was conducted to evaluate the availability and functioning of cold chain equipment as well as knowledge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was a cross-sectional study involving a multistage sampling. 3urban and 5rural districts were selected randomly from the 19 health districts of the North West region. In each district all the health facilities taking part in the EPI were targeted. Data were collected using a questionnaire administered face to face to health personnel and with an observational grid to assess availability, functioning, and monitoring of cold chain equipment and power supply. The data were analyzed using the epi-info software. A total of 70 health facilities were contacted and 65(88.6%) of them included in the study. Fifty-three (81.5%) out of 65 health facilities had at least one functional vaccine refrigerator. The national guideline of EPI was not present in 21(33.9%) health facilities. Temperature chart was complete/correctly filled in 25(50.0%) of the 50(96.2%) facilities having it. About 14 (26.9%) of the health facilities record at least one abnormal temperature during the last 2 months following data collection. Seventeen (28.3%) personnel did not know the correct vaccine storage temperature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The availability of vaccine storage equipment for EPI is acceptable in the North West Region of Cameroon but the capacity of those in charge to properly monitor it in all health facilities is still limited. To ensure that vaccines administered in the North West Region are stored at the recommended temperature, all District Health Services should train and regularly supervise the health personnel in charge of cold chain monitoring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Dschang, Cameroon, P.O. Box 067, Dschang, Cameroon. martinyakum@yahoo.com.|Meilleur accès aux soins de santé (M.A.SANTE), P.O. Box 33490, Yaoundé, Cameroon. martinyakum@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Martin Ndinakie
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Yakum
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Dschang, Cameroon, P.O. Box 067, Dschang, Cameroon. jateudj@yahoo.fr.|Divisions of Health Operations Research, Ministry of Public Health, Yaounde, Cameroon. jateudj@yahoo.fr.|Meilleur accès aux soins de santé (M.A.SANTE), P.O. Box 33490, Yaoundé, Cameroon. jateudj@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Jerome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ateudjieu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Dschang, Cameroon, P.O. Box 067, Dschang, Cameroon. ebileakoh@yahoo.com.|Meilleur accès aux soins de santé (M.A.SANTE), P.O. Box 33490, Yaoundé, Cameroon. ebileakoh@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ebile Akoh
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Dschang, Cameroon, P.O. Box 067, Dschang, Cameroon. pwatcho@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Watcho
mesh_terms: D002163:Cameroon; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004356:Drug Storage / Q000592:standards*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000592:standards; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D012034:Refrigeration / Q000592:standards*; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014612:Vaccines / Q000592:standards* / Q000600:supply & distribution
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines