Despite relatively high immunization rates in Senegal, in many regions, infrastructure and supply chain logistics are not improving fast enough to accommodate the increasing numbers of vaccines currently being designed for and delivered to developing countries.
VillageReach is working with Project Optimize to evaluable the vaccine supply chain in Tambacounda, a rural province of Senegal, and measure the effectiveness of the current system and assess capacity and readiness for expansion. Project Optimize is collaboration between the World Health Organization and PATH, a global health nonprofit, with the mandate to create a vaccine supply chain that is flexible and robust enough to manage the increasingly large and costly portfolio of vaccines in developing countries.
VillageReach’s evaluation found that the vaccine supply chain in Tambacounda could increase its capacity and efficacy by implementing a last mile logistics program based on the “moving warehouse model” of vaccine delivery. This model, similar to the one implemented by VillageReach in Mozambique, employs a field coordinator devoted to vaccine logistics. The field coordinator travels to rural health centers delivering essential health technologies to rural health centers, monitoring supply levels, and providing training, supervision and support for health center employees. Additionally, the field coordinator would utilize VillageReach’s management information system (vrMIS) to record and track information from health centers.
VillageReach is currently working with PATH to implement VillageReach’s last mile logistics solutions in Tambacounda. When implemented, VillageReach will work closely with Senegal’s national and regional health programs to improve the current vaccine logistics system for future expansion.
