Pakistan achieves scale up of vaccine logistics management information system, Islamabad, Karachi

Pakistan achieves scale up of vaccine logistics management information system. Islamabad: Pakistan has graduated to the next level of vaccine and cold chain inventory management and data visibility, for the first time on an agreed uniform reporting format, with the deployment of web-based Vaccine Logistics Management Information System (vLMIS) application across all 166 districts of the country. The achievement was celebrated Monday at a high-profile event attended by Representatives of the World Health Organisation and UNICEF, National Programme Manager of the Expanded Programme on Immunization Dr. Syed Saqlain Ahmed Gilani, Provincial and Regional EPI managers, and Country Director of Chemonics International Dr. Muhammad Tariq. The measure will enhance the country’s ability towards standardisation of logistics reporting system with an unprecedented capability around logistics data visibility and management of vaccines. It was back in February 2015 that vLMIS was deployed in all districts and towns of Sindh. In February 2016, with the government of Punjab and DfID co-financing, it was further scaled up in 13 districts of Punjab, after which 10 districts remained. Until November 2017, vLMIS was only deployed in 96 districts of Pakistan. There were a remaining 73 districts in Pakistan for vLMIS to be deployed to, in addition to 43 districts that were reporting on the old format. The system has now been scaled up to cover all 116 districts of Pakistan. Speaking on the occasion Dr. Saqlain urged the provincial and regional EPI managers to utilize the system for taking timely decisions for effective implementation of their programme activities. WHO Medical Officer Dr. Quamrul Hasan expressed gratitude to Chemonics International for in imparting quality trainings and accomplishing a milestone is such a compressed timeframe. Dr. Tariq thanked the federal and provincial EPIs in culmination of the scale-up and reiterated that capacity building of 400 provincial and district operators with 34 project staff in just 32 active days would not have been possible without their support. The federal, provincial and regional EPI managers acknowledged the support of WHO and Chemonics International in nationwide deployment of a system that would empower them with increased power of data visibility around vaccine supply chain, enabling informed decision making for ensuring transparency and accountability for vaccination of mothers and children of Pakistan. For decades, Pakistan has been struggling with immunization coverage, currently reported at 54% as of 2012-2013 DHS, as opposed to currently improving immunization coverage data. Because of the inherent wastages and other factors, Pakistan, with multi-lateral financing support, procures approximately 150% of the total vaccines desired due for coverage and availability. One of the major factors responsible for these pendulating coverage figures can be attributed to varying levels of accountability of vaccine coverage, commodity and cold chain data. Considering both reported and unreported measles-related mortality post-2012 outbreak, Pakistan lost more than 3,000 children. Based on recommendations from the Federal Ombudsman, a web-based vLMIS was first launched in January 2014 in 54 priority and polio high-risk districts of Pakistan with the collaboration of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the government of Pakistan. Its aim was to strengthen logistics and inventory management of vaccines and to provide the tools needed to monitor and assess vaccine storage, planning and distribution flows, helping to improve accountability for vaccine consumption, and cold chain data. Islamabad: Pakistan has graduated to the next level of vaccine and cold chain inventory management and data visibility, for the first time on an agreed uniform reporting format, with the deployment of web-based Vaccine Logistics Management Information System (vLMIS) application across all 166 districts of the country. The achievement was celebrated Monday at a high-profile event attended by Representatives of the World Health Organisation and UNICEF, National Programme Manager of the Expanded Programme on Immunization Dr. Syed Saqlain Ahmed Gilani, Provincial and Regional EPI managers, and Country Director of Chemonics International Dr. Muhammad Tariq. The measure will enhance the country’s ability towards standardisation of logistics reporting system with an unprecedented capability around logistics data visibility and management of vaccines. It was back in February 2015 that vLMIS was deployed in all districts and towns of Sindh. In February 2016, with the government of Punjab and DfID co-financing, it was further scaled up in 13 districts of Punjab, after which 10 districts remained. Until November 2017, vLMIS was only deployed in 96 districts of Pakistan. There were a remaining 73 districts in Pakistan for vLMIS to be deployed to, in addition to 43 districts that were reporting on the old format. The system has now been scaled up to cover all 116 districts of Pakistan. Speaking on the occasion Dr. Saqlain urged the provincial and regional EPI managers to utilize the system for taking timely decisions for effective implementation of their programme activities. WHO Medical Officer Dr. Quamrul Hasan expressed gratitude to Chemonics International for in imparting quality trainings and accomplishing a milestone is such a compressed timeframe. Dr. Tariq thanked the federal and provincial EPIs in culmination of the scale-up and reiterated that capacity building of 400 provincial and district operators with 34 project staff in just 32 active days would not have been possible without their support. The federal, provincial and regional EPI managers acknowledged the support of WHO and Chemonics International in nationwide deployment of a system that would empower them with increased power of data visibility around vaccine supply chain, enabling informed decision making for ensuring transparency and accountability for vaccination of mothers and children of Pakistan. For decades, Pakistan has been struggling with immunization coverage, currently reported at 54% as of 2012-2013 DHS, as opposed to currently improving immunization coverage data. Because of the inherent wastages and other factors, Pakistan, with multi-lateral financing support, procures approximately 150% of the total vaccines desired due for coverage and availability. One of the major factors responsible for these pendulating coverage figures can be attributed to varying levels of accountability of vaccine coverage, commodity and cold chain data. Considering both reported and unreported measles-related mortality post-2012 outbreak, Pakistan lost more than 3,000 children. Based on recommendations from the Federal Ombudsman, a web-based vLMIS was first launched in January 2014 in 54 priority and polio high-risk districts of Pakistan with the collaboration of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the government of Pakistan. Its aim was to strengthen logistics and inventory management of vaccines and to provide the tools needed to monitor and assess vaccine storage, planning and distribution flows, helping to improve accountability for vaccine consumption, and cold chain data.