Eritrea received an award of recognition for its exceptional achievement for effective utilization of stock management for immunization services for the third time. The award was given during the 2nd ESAR Regional Immunization Supply Chain Management (ISCM) workshop in Uganda Entebbe 29 August -02 September 2016 for East and South African block countries by ESARO ISC.  This Award was presented to the Hon Minister of Health, during the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of implementation of IHR (2005).  Accordingly, the immunization assessment was the only area that had achieved all the major milestones and it was appropriate that this Award be presented during this evaluation.

In Eritrea immunization service is provided 6 days per week in each health facility routinely. Villages with less access and more than 10km from health facilities are targeted for outreach visits. At country level, there are about 450 outreach sites and have at least 4-5 visits per site per year. Moreover, the country conducts Periodic Intensified Routine Immunization (PIRI) service in less accessible geographical areas and nomadic population groups to reach the unreached children and decrease the number of unimmunized children. The country has also implemented RED/REC approach by involving community health agents’.  For these sub-zoba local administration are involved in micro-planning and mapping of less accessible geographical areas and tracing of vaccine defaulters in their catchment areas, especially in the western and Eastern low lands of the country.

Eritrea made tremendous achievements in measles disease control in under five years old children by their efforts of strengthening routine immunization services in all areas and have accessible and equitable immunization service for all children.

Stock Management Tool, (SMT), a software with a number of indicators monitoring the status of all vaccines, was introduced to Eritrea in 2012.  The country has been working consistently at national and sub national level in sharing the output of various indicators and vaccine management status analysis reports, monthly, with local and international partners. The program has been receiving feedback and technical support from EPI logistic experts from the regional office and which has led to improvement in stock management of EPI logistics overall and specifically for vaccines.    In these areas Eritrea was able to fulfil all the required indicators for EPI logistics with more emphasis on vaccine management.

Thus, during the Regional Immunization Supply Chain Management (ISCM) workshop 29 August -02 September 2016 in Uganda Entebbe,  Eritrea received the award from UNICEF for the exceptional  achievement in terms of: EPI logistics management and fulfilment of the required WHO indicators in vaccine stock management, vaccine distribution and safety monitoring, wastage control, status of vaccine stocks  and availability of equitable and accessible immunization services in all health facilities, at all times, for all eligible children in the country.