Assessment of Vaccine Storage, Stock Management, and Distribution Practices in Ethiopia: Evidences from National Evaluation Program

This study assessed vaccine storage, stock management, and distribution practices in Ethiopia using the EVM 2.0 tool from March to July 2023. It involved 302 health facilities, one central EPSSA hub, and 15 EPSSA sub-national hubs. A mixed-method approach was used, with data collected via the EVM assessment tool and analyzed using STATA 16 and ATLAS.ti software. Findings showed that the EPSS center and four hubs maintained well-organized stock records, but variation existed in vaccine stock arrangement, security of records, and frequency of physical stock counts. Although all sub-central hubs submitted requests electronically, 74.15% of facilities did not. Three-fourths of institutions documented maximum stock levels. Less than 50% of institutions retained stock records for at least three years, except health centers. One-tenth of institutions faced storage emergencies in the past year, and 70.07% of health institutions stored records securely. Distribution and allocation records were updated monthly in 81% of institutions. Challenges included a lack of accurate denominators, poor infrastructure, inadequate storage equipment, and migration. Vehicle unavailability hindered distribution. Despite these issues, stock management knowledge was found to be encouraging at all levels. The government should focus on improving vaccine forecasting, implementing computerized systems, and addressing transportation infrastructure challenges.