C-CAMP, Hitachi ABB Power Grids to enable last-mile COVID-19 vaccine delivery

The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) and Hitachi ABB Power Grids in India have tied up to enable efficient last-mile COVID-19 vaccine delivery in South India. C-CAMP in partnership with Hitachi ABB Power Grids will provide public healthcare systems in Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Chennai with an indigenously developed, innovative, portable cold-chain transport device for efficient vaccine delivery, a joint statement said.
This C-CAMP-supported innovation integrates an emerging technology in cold chain with easy accessibility and operability features that can address the critical issue of last mile vaccine spoilage due to thermal degradation in commonly used iceboxes.

"According to a WHO report, more than 50 per cent of vaccine wastage takes place during distribution, particularly at last-mile delivery. We cannot afford such a colossal wastage at a time when the nation is facing a severe shortfall in vaccines.

"Our partnership with Hitachi ABB Power Grids in India will help deploy an innovative new cold chain device to plug this enormous gap, ease logistics pressures and ensure 100 percent vaccine efficacy," C-CAMP CEO & Director Taslimarif Saiyed said.

Having already made some inroads in remote locations of North-eastern India with the technology, the CSR grant received from Hitachi ABB Power Grids in India will help C-CAMP introduce it to urban, semi-urban and rural primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in Southern India.

"India is striving to vaccinate over a billion people at a fast clip. Hence, every vial must be preserved well for full effectiveness. For that, we must address the need for last-mile cold chain carriers.

"With C-CAMP, we will lend support to much-needed innovations and also assist remote healthcare centres to relieve the economic burden of wasted vaccines," Hitachi ABB Power Grids in India CEO and Managing Director N Venu said.

The innovation is a portable battery-operated medical-grade refrigeration unit whose unique selling propositions are pre-set temperatures, strict temperature-control and easy portability.

The patented technology assures vaccine viability for up to 12 hours which in turn guarantees efficacious vaccine administration as well as better reuse and recycling of unused vaccines from any batch.

Moreover, being geolocation tagged can considerably increase flexibility, tracking and traceability in the last-mile supply chain, making it ideal for variable demand as well as remote locations.

As a part of this project, C-CAMP will facilitate deployment at government health departments of Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Chennai over next six months.