VACCINE COLD CHAIN MANAGEMENT PRACTICE AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTIONS OF WEST ARSI ZONE, OROMIA, ETHIOPIA, 2023

Abstract

Background: In spite of high immunization coverage still there is high range of child mortality due to vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs).This problem is attributed to reduced vaccine potency resulted because of failure in cold chain management system which is less considered in developing countries including Ethiopia, particularly in this study area. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess vaccine cold chain management practice and its associated factors in public health institutions of west Arsi zone, Oromia, Ethiopia 2023. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted in all health institutions of randomly selected woredas in the west Arsi zone. A structured self-administered questionnaire and on-spot observation checklists were used to collect data from the healthcare facilities. Epi-data version 4.6.0.6 was used for data entry and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 was used for analysis. The bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted. Adjusted odd ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to determine the strength of association and the level of significance was set at P-value < 0.05. Result: In this study, more than half (54.1%) of the public health institutions had good vaccine cold chain management practices. Good knowledge of vaccine handlers Adjusted Odds Ratio( AOR) (95% Confidence Interval(CI) = 3.85(1.32-11.25), regular supportive supervision AOR (95% CI)= 4.81(1.60-14.4), availability of Expanded program of immunization (EPI) guideline in healthcare facilities AOR (95% CI)= 5.21(1.67-16.3), no workloads AOR (95% CI)= 3.20(1.06-9.71) and using of vaccine request format AOR (95% CI)= 3.67(1.21-11.10) were positively associated with good vaccine cold chain management practice. Conclusion: Vaccine handlers working in the study area of public health facilities had poor vaccine cold chain management practice. Enhancing the knowledge of vaccine handlers, providing guidelines, vaccine request forms, supportive supervision, and monitoring their practice toward cold chain management may help to improve practice towards vaccine cold chain management.