Vaccine wastage assessment in an urban health care setup in South India

Introduction: Vaccine wastage is reported to be at 50% globally. Even though vaccine wastage is unavoidable it can be reduced to certain extent. Introduction of multi dose vial policy, effective use of vaccine vial monitors is expected to decrease vaccine wastage. Objective: To determine the vaccine wastage rates and vaccine wastage factors in a tertiary and primary care set ups and to identify the factors associate with it. Method: A record based descriptive study conducted over a period of two months in a district hospital and primary health centre of Mangalore, Karnataka. The study population included children who were vaccinated at immunization clinic between January 1^st 2009 and December 31^st 2011. The investigators visited the health centre and retrieved the number of vials used during immunization sessions and number of children vaccinated. The Vaccine Wastage Factor was calculated by using the formula 100/ (100-vaccine wastage rate). Results: Vaccine wastage was found to be higher in the government hospital for all four vaccines included in the study. Vaccine wastage rates of open vial at PHC were Measles (59.6%) >BCG (6.4%) >DPT (38.1%) >HEPB (24.2%). Measles vaccine wastage was found to be greater. On other hand, tertiary care center vaccine wastage in open vial was found to be BCG (91.4%) > DPT (90.4%) >HEPB (87.8%) > Measles (67.8%). Conclusion: Vaccine wastage was found to be higher than the recommended amount as stated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and was also found to be higher in the Government hospital as compared to the PHC in all the three years, except for measles vaccine.