In Ethiopia, maintaining the potency of life-saving vaccines is a huge challenge, especially in rural communities and those affected by conflict, where cold chain infrastructure is generally weak.
It was the order of the day for one of Ethiopia’s 3,706 public health centers and 17,561 health posts, the Sagure Health Center in Digalu Tijo district, Oromia region. The health facility had limited refrigerators, making it difficult to store vaccines at the correct temperature. The insufficient cold chain storage contributed to limited access to much-needed vaccines hindering efforts to interrupt the transmission of vaccine-preventable diseases. Now, it’s a thing of the past.
The need for cold chain system improvements prompted the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the Mastercard Foundation, through the Saving Lives and Livelihoods (SLL) program to partner with the Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health and tap into UNICEF’s procurement expertise to strengthen vaccine storage and distribution.
On February 21, 2025,Africa CDC and Mastercard Foundation officially handed over cold chain infrastructure to the Ministry of Health. The $3.12 million investment includes ten Toyota 4×4 vehicles, four refrigerated trucks, ten fridge conversion units, 32 refrigerators, 80 freezers, 965 cold boxes, 1,365 vaccine carriers, and 2,000 temperature monitoring devices and accessories.
The equipment will be distributed to 112 health facilities in 94 districts across Central Ethiopia, Oromia, South Ethiopia, and Tigray regions. The Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Supply Service (EPSS) will use the vehicles to transport vaccines and essential medicines to district stores and health facilities countrywide, enhancing last-mile delivery.
Sagure Health Center is among the health facilities benefiting from this support. The health facility can now safely store vaccines and maintain their effectiveness. In addition, health workers will use the newly acquired vaccine carriers to bring the vaccines closer to the people as part of the outreach program.
“This investment will strengthen our health system, making vaccines more accessible to our people. We are grateful to our partners for this support,” said Dr Mekdes Daba, Ethiopia’s Minister of Health, during the handover of the equipment in Addis Ababa,
Dr Daba stressed the importance of this support in improving the availability and accessibility of health commodities to the most vulnerable people and acknowledged Africa CDC’s continued support for Ethiopia’s emergency preparedness and outbreak response program.
“This is about ensuring every child and adult in Ethiopia can access life-saving vaccines. This initiative will help bridge the gap between urban and rural communities and protect people against vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks,” said Dr Mazyanga Lucy Mazaba, Africa CDC’s Eastern Africa RCC Regional Director, highlighting the significance of this initiative in achieving equitable healthcare.
“These resources will strengthen our efforts to build a more efficient distribution fleet for cold chain and other commodities,” said Dr Abdulkedir Gelgele, Director General of the Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Supply Service (EPSS).
The cold chain system improvements contribute substantially to strengthening Ethiopia’s Expanded Program on Immunization and the goal of achieving universal health coverage. However, sustaining this progress requires a well-trained workforce, data-driven decision-making, efficient logistics, and sustainable financing to ensure the long-term success of the health supply chain system, Dr Gelgele emphasized.
While the newly provided infrastructure will improve vaccine access, Africa CDC’s work doesn’t end here.
“Enhancing cold chain capabilities is vital in maintaining the potency and efficacy of medical countermeasures such as vaccines,” said Tesfaye Hailemichael, Head of the Africa CDC Supply Chain Division “The Africa CDC Supply Chain Division remains committed to addressing the last-mile gaps to strengthen our Member States’ abilities-like Ethiopia’s-to interrupt the transmission of vaccine preventable diseases,” he added, signaling a continued focus on strengthening health systems on the continent.
