Guyana: Health Ministry to conduct servicing of Solar Direct Drive Vaccine Refrigerator

Guyana: The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the United Nations children’s Fund (UNICEF), conducted the servicing of the Solar Direct Drive (SDD) Vaccine Refrigerator located at the Long Creek Health Centre, Linden Soesdyke Highway, on November 9, 2022.

This activity focuses not only on the technology being used for vaccine storage but the support the Ministry has received from UNICEF, especially for cold chain maintenance across the country, within the past three weeks.

The expanded programme on immunisation in Guyana uses innovative technology to maintain the highest vaccine standards. Vaccine cold chain monitoring guarantees that the potency of vaccines is maintained.

These SDD refrigerators are built for use in the Hinterland Regions and offer the Ministry 11 to 20 years of service once maintained as protocol demands.

Guyana currently has 38 SDD refrigerator that is durable and provides new technology. The Ministry plans to expand its inventory to cover more rurally and urbanely placed health facilities in the coming year.

Present at this morning’s exercise were Dr Oneka Scott, Maternal and Child Health Officer; Nicolas Charles Pron, UNICEF Representative to Guyana and Suriname; Irfan Akhtar, the Deputy Representative to UNICEF; Dr Illoh Bobson, Vaccine Management Specialist also attached to UNICEF and Dillon Ashby, the Technician.