Plain language summary

Vaccination in Africa faces significant challenges due to inadequate cold chain infrastructure, particularly in regions lacking reliable electricity. Approximately 80% of prequalified vaccines require cold chain systems to maintain their potency, which is often unfeasible in remote areas. Exposure to extreme temperatures can lead to a loss of vaccine potency, making it crucial to explore alternatives. Thermostable vaccines represent a technological advancement that addresses these challenges by eliminating the need for cold chain mechanisms during transport and storage. This narrative review analyzes trends in the uptake of thermostable vaccines and their impact across Africa. A total of 10 studies were reviewed, encompassing 14 African countries, revealing critical insights into the potential of thermostable vaccines to enhance immunization coverage in settings with limited access to traditional cold chain facilities. These vaccines, which maintain their efficacy even when exposed to higher temperatures for short periods, offer a promising solution to the logistical and economic hurdles of vaccine delivery in resource-limited settings.

Trends in uptake and impact of thermostable vaccines in Africa

To ensure that the vaccine’s stability and viability are maintained, vaccines need to be stored at cooler temperatures. Exposing a vaccine to extreme freezing conditions and high temperatures may result in loss of its potency and viability. Therefore, the cold chain ensures that the potency of a vaccine is maintained. Thermostable vaccines come up to address the challenges faced while trying to maintain vaccines in a cold chain. Almost 80% of prequalified vaccines require cold chain systems to maintain their potency which is not feasible in settings that lack electricity connections. Thermostable vaccines however are technological advancements believed to solve this problem since they do not depend on cold chain mechanisms for vaccine transport and storage. This study involved a narrative review of published articles to assess the trends in the uptake of thermostable vaccines and their impact in Africa.

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Vaccine safety

Trends in uptake and impact of thermostable vaccines in Africa