Medical Cold chain – Health of the children has been considered as the vital importance to all societies because children are the basic resource for the future of humankind. Nursing care of children is concerned for both the health of the children and for the illnesses that affect their growth and development. The increasing complexity of medical and nursing science has created a need for special area of child care, i.e. pediatric nursing.
Pediatric nursing is the specialized area of nursing practice concerning the care of children during wellness and illness. It includes preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative care of children. It emphasizes on all round development of body, mind and spirit of the growing individual. Thus, pediatric nursing involves in giving assistance, care and support to the growing and developing children to achieve their individual potential for functioning with fullest capacity.
Medical Cold chain
Definition of Cold chain:
The cold chain is a system of storage & transport of vaccine at optimum temperature from the manufacturer to the actual vaccination site.
The system is as follows:
Procurement of vaccine by the air
↓
Airport Expanded Program on Immunization
↓
By vehicle
↓
EPI headquarter cold room
↓
By vehicle (in cold boxes)
↓
District ILR & deep freeze
By vehicle (in cold box)
Thana & ILR refrigerator (1 month)
↓
Vaccine carrier
↓
Field level (8 hours storage)
↓
Ice vaccine pack
↓
Use of vaccine.
Cold Chain Equipment:
A. Walk in cold chain room (WIC):
Located at regional level.
Store vaccine up to 3 months.
Serve 4-5 districts.
B. Deep freezers & ice lined refrigerators (ILR’S)
To make ice parks
To store OPV and measles vaccine
District & WIC location
C. Small deep freezers & ILR
PHCS
Urban FPC
Post-partumcenter
D. Cold boxes: Keep vaccine cold up to 1 week
E. Vaccine carriers: Keep vaccine safe up to 3 days
F. Day carriers safe few hours.
G. Ice packs
[Ref: K Park/23th/109]
Importance of cold chain:
- To maintain potency of vaccine.
- For the storage of vaccine.
- For the transportation of vaccine at low temperature
[Ref: K Park/23/109]
Read more: