Principles of cold chain system management

The cold chain refers to the storage, transportation and refrigeration facilities and equipments equipped to ensure the quality of vaccines in the process of operation from vaccine production enterprises to vaccination units. It includes refrigerated trucks, vaccine transportation trucks equipped with refrigerated equipment (hereinafter referred to as vaccine transportation trucks), cold storages, refrigerators, freezers, refrigerated packages, ice rows, and houses where the equipment is placed, and so on.

The cold chain system is a working system in which management factors, i.e., personnel, management measures and safeguards, are added to the cold chain equipment.

What are the basic principles of cold chain system management?

(1) Cold chain equipment should be purchased and issued according to the plan, establish and improve the procedures for receiving and issuing, and make it exclusive for special use, without storing other items.

(2) Cold chain equipment should be placed in specialized houses and used correctly, and should not be used for storing medicines, food and other items; it should be maintained on a regular basis to ensure that the equipment is in good condition.

(3) Cold chain management and maintenance personnel at all levels must undergo relevant training. Disease prevention and control institutions should have specialized personnel to manage and maintain cold chain equipment; vaccination units should maintain vaccine storage equipment.

(4) Develop a cold chain management system, establish and improve the cold chain equipment files (including manuals, certificates of conformity, warranty, etc.), and fill out the "cold chain equipment file form".

(5) Record the temperature of the cold chain equipment for storing vaccines and keep it for 2 years for inspection.

(6) Regularly inspect, maintain and update the cold chain equipment and facilities to ensure that they meet the specified requirements.

(7) The scrapping of cold chain equipment is carried out in strict accordance with the relevant provisions of state-owned assets management.