Publication:

Assessment of knowledge and skills of vaccine cold chain handlers in Nadia district, West Bengal: a cross-sectional study

Background The effectiveness of vaccination programs hinges on a reliable cold chain infrastructure, which is essential for maintaining vaccine potency. Individuals tasked with managing the vaccine cold chain play a key role in preserving this efficacy, thereby facilitating effective immunization by adhering to established storage and handling protocols. The current research aims to evaluate the proficiency and technical expertise of these handlers in managing the cold chain across selected subdivisions of the Nadia District in West Bengal.

Methods Vaccine cold chain handlers at cold chain points in the chosen subdivisions participated in a descriptive cross-sectional facility-based study. Of the 38 handlers identified, 30 met the eligibility criteria and were included using a census method. Data was gathered using an observation checklist to evaluate the practical skills and a pretested structured questionnaire to assess knowledge. Both descriptive and suitable inferential statistical analyses were carried out.

Results The majority of the participants were female (28; 93.3%) with a mean age of 42.6±10.3 years. The mean knowledge score was 13.66±1.18 (out of 15), with 96.7% demonstrating good knowledge. The mean skill score was 4.16±0.91 (out of 5). While temperature monitoring was correctly performed by 93.3%, only 60% correctly demonstrated the shake test. Knowledge and skill scores showed a significant positive correlation (r=0.564, p=0.001).

Conclusions Although the majority of cold chain handlers demonstrated good knowledge, certain gaps in practical skills were identified, indicating the need for periodic refresher training and strengthened supportive supervision.