Solutions for Ultra Cold Chain Storage in Nigeria

Background

Inadequate domestic capacity to keep goods at ultra-cold chain storage temperatures for biobanking, biorepository, pharmaceuticals, and other purposes has hampered local medical and scientific research. Capacities due to these poor facilities and other investments required to sustain viable research in medicine, science, and genetics, have made our researchers to continue to grapple with so many issues. Funding gaps required to establish biorepository centers and sustainable biobanking facilities to aid and ensure sustainable scientific data lifelines in our healthcare space have also become a more prominent issue.

The era of the COVID pandemic exposed so many deficiencies. Nigeria’s capacity to receive and maintain Pfizer vaccines was without doubt insufficient. The stakeholders affirmed this position through many press releases in attempts to reassure COVAX about Nigeria’s readiness to receive and maintain ultra-cold chain goods like vaccines, biologicals, samples, etc. With the available capacity to store about 400,000 doses of Pfizer’s vaccine, Nigeria was obviously not ready to stock the millions of doses required to provide herd immunity for the population. This challenge warranted the swap of Pfizer vaccines with AstraZeneca vaccines by the WHO.

Nigeria’s journey to become self-sufficient in vaccines and other pharmaceutical products might hit a preventable setback owing to this scarcely available infrastructure to handle UCC storage. The road map should clearly include approaches to acquiring or outsourcing the necessary capacities for local industry sustainability, as well as encouraging our resourceful scholars to implement a successful biobanking project.

Private Sector Came to the Rescue and Success Story

DCL enthusiastically accepted the challenge of contributing her quota to the national emergence response against COVID-19 by heavily investing in outsourced dry and cold temperature facilities. The drive to provide the services was fueled by the company’s patient safety policy, a social intervention drive, and an opportunity to show that it is possible to see a private sector collaboration with government to establish and improve local content.

Certain preparations were made with the FGN and an international agency in Nigeria sometime in 2022 through a private sector-driven initiative to host over 10 million doses of Pfizer vaccines properly stored at -80°C, ranging from one month to over six months. Adequate storage conditions were adopted, the power infrastructure was enhanced, and backup and safety arrangements were solid from the beginning till date.

With stringently developed protocols and real-time and remote monitoring capabilities, no adverse event was recorded anytime during the storage and distribution cycles.

Objectives of DCL UCC and Other Warehouse Facilities

• Security and sample integrity: there is a clear understanding and common direction to ensure sample integrity and security during the period of its storage. The integrity of samples guarantees the success of biobanking or biorepository projects. DCL chose to help midwife this service and sustain locally bred medical and scientific research.
• Provision of cold chain storage: DCL offers unique product portfolios covering all ranges and services either for outsourced storage or acquiring the required items that guarantee integrity and proper sample preservation.
• We have the unparalleled capacity and experience to design, implement physical or software requirements for state-of-the-art outsourced UCC warehouses and other storage conditions, and manage the same using the best inventory management skills acquired over the years of service.

Solutions & Services

Power:

The DCL warehouse facility has a dedicated 300KVA step-down power transformer installed solely for the DCL warehouse facility and a 350KVA standby power generating set. All power equipment and
facilities within the DCL warehouse facility are connected via three separate 80KVA online inverter systems with automatic power transfer capability. All of this ensures that power is always available to power equipment and facilities.

Water:
The DCL warehouse facility has a 12,000-liter water storage system, which ensures constant water supply for use by the staff and fire hydrant installation.
Proximity:
DCL warehouse facility is easily accessible due to good road networks. DCL’s warehouse is about 16.9 kilometers from Abuja’s Central Business District. The facility location is approximately 9 KM from the federal fire service headquarters in Abuja, approximately 34.9 KM from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, approximately 8.9 KM from Jabi Police Station, and less than 4 KM from the nearest fire mobile station.
Communication:
In terms of the telecommunications network, all major telecommunication network providers have good network signals both for voice and data.
Storage Capacity:
DCL Warehouse facility is made up of 2 buildings tagged.
The following facilities are readily available.
a. 2 units of WFRs, (-25°C and -40°C )
b. 100 -86°C ULT Freezers,
c. up to 100 units of 2-8°C pharma grade refrigerator,
d. dry storage areas, etc.
Dimensions:
This occupies a total landmass of 5,305.96 square meters. It is divided into a ground floor and a second floor. The first floor houses the power room, administrative office, maintenance unit, storeroom, two 25°C walk-in freezer rooms, and a boost of extra space of approximately 2,264.61 square meters. The second floor houses the CCTV/surveillance room and a storage space of approximately 5,010.92 square meters. This is also equipped with a rack storage system.

Temperature Control System (A/C and HVAC system):
DCL warehouse facility has HVAC system installed to make the internal structure conducive and under control.

Rack and Rack Specifications:
Both warehouses use metallic rack system where necessary. There are currently 16 Racks with a dimension of 7ft 9inches each.

Material Handling Equipment:
DCL warehouse facility is equipped with modern material handling equipment for heavy material movement. These includes trolleys and forklifts.

Security System and CCTV:
DCL warehouse facility is equipped with modern fire safety equipment and facilities such as fire hydrant and fire detection system. Also, CCTV surveillance system is also installed to capture activities within and outside the building. There are also 24/7 standby security personnel who helps to control human activities and, carry out other security tasks.

DCL Laboratory Products Ltd has acquired these capacities for your local needs for vaccine storage (from 2-8°C , -40°C , -86°C etc.)

Contact us immediately if have you needs to store your samples, vaccines, reagents and kits, drugs, etc.

Details are as follows:
DCL Laboratory Products Ltd, DCL House, Plot 1299,
Funmilayo Ransome Kuti Road, Area 3, Garki, Abuja.
P.M.B 690 Garki, Abuja, Nigeria.
T+234-929-036-70 EXT: 814
Fax: +234-909-999-5259
email: info@dcllabx.com,
Url: www.dcllabx.com