FAO opens re-established central cold chain for livestock vaccines
September 14, 2015 (JUBA) -The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) together with the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Industry officially opened a re-established central cold chain for transporting vaccines in South Sudan on Tuesday.
The facility, the agency said in a statement, is crucial for the storage, safe transportation and performance of temperature sensitive livestock vaccines in the country.
“FAO and MLFI have been working hard to re-establish the central cold chain in order to get the vaccines to all parts of South Sudan” said Serge Tissot, the FAO country representative.
Failure to keep the vaccines in refrigerators and freezers during transportation could render it ineffective.
“The cold chain system is put into place to keep vaccines at the recommended temperature, ranging from +2 oC to +8 oC, from the manufacturer all the way up to the cattle camps in the remote areas”, FAO said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.
According to the FAO country representative, over USD 1 million of cold chain equipment, spare parts and special refrigeration tools has been procured by FAO this year alone.
“Also, 72 cold chain technicians from the ministry and partners have been trained on vaccine and cold chain management,” said Tissot.
South Sudan, the UN agency said, so far has 167 cold chain units with the central cold chain in Gudele Juba and three other main cold chain hubs in Wau, Rumbek and Torrit.
“The central cold chain in Juba has tripled in storage capacity since 2013, and has been upgraded with the latest technology” said FAO.
“By advancing technologies and replacing kerosene refrigerators with solar-powered refrigerators, cold chain systems and facilities can operate through times of crisis with minimum preventive maintenance and literally no need for fuel and other running costs,” explains Wudu Melaku, FAO’s cold chain specialist.
The first central cold chain was established in Logichogio, Kenya and was transferred and installed in Juba in 2005, after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
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