The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) and Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), collaborated with the Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA), to launch the online based tool, as functional media tablets supplied to the state.
They were distributed to the Local Government Areas (LGAs), Cold Chain Officers (LCCOs) in Awka, Anambra state. The Local Government Areas (LGAs), Cold Chain Officers (CCOs) have received media tools as they embarked on a two day training on the Open LMIS (Logistics Management Information Systems), Routine Immunization (RI) module in Awka, Anambra state. The Open LMIS is an online vaccine management tool for documenting all vaccine transactions at all Immunization Supply Chain (ISC) levels.
The Executive Secretary, ASPHCDA, Dr. Chioma Ezenyimulu who declared the training open, presented the media devices to the LCCOs. She congratulated the 21 LGAs Cold Chain Officers on the receipt of the tablets which will make sending and collection of data easy and effective.
“Now we do not have any excuse not to discharge our duties optimally. To whom much is given, much is expected. This is no longer business as usual as you have to be proactive and do multitasking. We have so many vaccines and have now added Rotavirus Vaccine to the list, so you have to account for each Vaccine received effectively.”
Dr Ezenyimulu while expressing gratitude to the partners,] urged the LGA Cold Chain Officers to know their stock balance at any given period. The NPHCDA South East Zonal Store Logistician, Ms Jaluchi Ayene, who was a Facilitator during the training, educated the LCCOs on the use of the communication device for Open LMIS reporting.
She explained that the training was to ensure that LCCOs in Anambra State could use the Open LMIS as an online Ledger.
“This could make your transactions visible and work easy in various ways such as, visibility, accountability and availability of product at all levels of supply chain and reduce time wastes in stock reporting & management.”
The State Cold Chain Officer (CCO), ASPHCDA, Mr Augustine Aniesona, added that the Open LMIS could aid in reduction of the stock out syndrome to a great extent when properly deployed.
“It can also aid in notifying the store manager of critical stock levels and electric means of requesting, receiving, distribution and transfer of products from one program to another.”
Mr Aniesona however noted that the Open LMIS was equally deployed in Cold Chain Equipment inventory and management for effective reporting.
The participants, who were happy to receive the tablet expressed gratitude to the ASPHCDA and its partners for the event. They assured that the device and training received would simplify their job of Vaccine accountability.
