Home delivery of heat-stable vaccines in Indonesia: outreach immunization with a prefilled, single-use injection device.

Extending immunization coverage to underserved populations will require innovative immunization strategies. This study evaluated one such strategy: the use of a prefilled, single-use injection device for outreach immunization by village midwives. The device, UniJect, is designed to prevent refilling or reuse. Stored at ambient temperatures for up to 1 month in midwives' homes, vaccine-filled UniJect devices were immediately available for outreach. Between July 1995 and April 1996, 110 midwives on the Indonesia islands of Lombok and Bali visited the homes of newborn infants to deliver hepatitis B vaccine to the infants and tetanus toxoid to their mothers. Observations and interviews showed that the midwives used the device properly and safely to administer approximately 10,000 sterile injections in home settings. There were no problems with excessive heat exposure during the storage or delivery of vaccine. Injection recipients and midwives expressed a strong preference for the UniJect device over a standard syringe. Use of the prefilled device outside the cold chain simplified the logistics and facilitated the speed and efficiency of home visits, while the single-dose format minimized vaccine wastage.

PIP: Recent studies have found that up to 30% of injections given for immunization are not sterile. Disposable syringes are reused and reusable syringes are often improperly sterilized. Findings are presented from an evaluation of the use of a prefilled, single-use injection device for outreach immunization by village midwives. Such devices can reduce the transmission of bloodborne pathogens and diseases, and reduce vaccine wastage associated with multi-dose vials. The device evaluated, UniJect, is designed to prevent refilling or reuse. Stored at ambient temperatures for up to 1 month in midwives' homes, vaccine-filled UniJect devices were immediately available for use. Between July 1995 and April 1996, 110 midwives on the Indonesian islands of Lombok and Bali visited the homes of newborn infants to deliver hepatitis B vaccine to infants and tetanus toxoid to their mothers. Observations and interviews found that the midwives safely and properly used the device to administer approximately 10,000 sterile injections in home settings. No problems were experienced with excessive heat exposure during the storage or delivery of vaccine. Injection recipients and midwives strongly preferred the UniJect device over a standard syringe. Furthermore, use of the prefilled device outside of the cold chain simplified the logistics and facilitated the speed and efficiency of home visits, while the single-dose format minimized vaccine wastage.

Lombok Hepatitis B Model Immunization Project: toward universal infant hepatitis B immunization in Indonesia.

The Lombok Hepatitis B (HB) Model Immunization Project was the first mass infant HB immunization project in Indonesia. Key aspects were the procurement of low-cost HB vaccine, integration into routine infant immunization services, and delivery of the first dose in the home within 1 week of birth. The project achieved > 90% coverage with 3 doses of vaccine. The prevalence of HB surface antigen was 1.4% in infants who received 3 doses (with the first dose within 7 days of birth) and 3.0% in those who received the first dose > 7 days after birth, compared with a baseline prevalence of 6.2% (P < .001 in each case). Most vaccine failures occurred in children born to HBe antigen-positive mothers. Antibody prevalence and titers did not correlate with protection. HB vaccine can be successfully integrated into the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), strengthening the EPI and significantly reducing chronic HB infection.

Silica gel as transport medium for Corynebacterium diphtheriae under tropical conditions (Indonesia )

Silica gel was confirmed as a useful transport medium for Corynebacterium diphtheriae in the investigation of diphtheria cases in which there is no ready access to laboratory facilities.

Assessing the impact of the expanded programme on immunization: the example of Indonesia.

The early impact of the expanded programme on immunization (EPI) in reducing morbidity from diphtheria was evaluated in the province of Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia. Since 1980, coverage of two doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) immunization has been greater than 60% in Yogyakarta. The morbidity rate for diphtheria for children aged 0-4 years decreased from 4.3 per 100 000 population in 1978-79 to 1.7 per 100 000 in 1981-82, a reduction of 60%. In contrast, the morbidity rate for children aged 5-9 years remained relatively constant over the 5-year period. The EPI programme has therefore had a demonstrable effect on 0-4-year-olds in Yogyakarta.

Mortality from neonatal tetanus in Indonesia: results of two surveys.

Two, 30-cluster, retrospective surveys of deaths from neonatal tetanus in Indonesia were conducted during 1982. The first survey, in the city of Jakarta, identified 16 deaths from neonatal tetanus among 2310 live births, giving a mortality rate of 6.9 per 1000 live births. The second survey covered 19 of Indonesia's 27 provinces. Fifty-three neonatal tetanus deaths occurred among 4971 live births, giving a mortality rate of 10.7 per 1000 live births. Overall, 68.8% of mothers interviewed in the second survey received antenatal care on at least two occasions when tetanus toxoid was, in principle, available.