Cold chain: from manual to automatic temperature controls

A new technology is enabling El Salvador’s National Biological Center (CENABI) to monitor cold chain temperatures from cell phones, tablets or laptops, wherever their staff may be. The cold chain system – InTempConnect supplied by LABCO – will help to prevent losses of COVID-19 vaccines.

The Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) developed the technology, which comprises temperature sensors that automatically control temperatures.

Until now, CENABI staff were performing temperature checks twice a day from Monday to Friday. During the working week, the temperatures were continuously reviewed and operators were made aware of any anomalies. However, on weekends only two measurements were made.

The selected system, though, has sensors for temperature ranges from – 30/40 °C to 70 °C and from -90 °C to 40 °C, gateways and a cloud data platform, which means that if freezer temperatures don’t remain within a pre-established range, the CENABI authorities receive alerts.

The sensors procured by GHSC-PSM are for deep freezers and cold rooms and will initially be used to monitor the storage temperature of the vaccines in CENABI’s vaccination megacenter (located at El Salvador Hospital) and at five regional warehouses.

The CENABI supply chain, quality control and IT teams, meanwhile, have already received training on the technology are keen to expand its use.

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