Assessment of Cold Chain Management for Vaccines in Primary Healthcare Centres in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria

Maintaining a functional cold chain is fundamental to preserving vaccine potency and achieving effective immunisation, yet cold chain management failures in Nigeria's primary healthcare centres remain a persistent source of vaccine wastage and suboptimal immunisation outcomes. This study assesses cold chain management practices at primary healthcare centres in Plateau State, examining refrigerator functionality, temperature monitoring compliance, vaccine storage procedures, stock management, and personnel training levels. A cross-sectional facility assessment design is applied to 36 primary healthcare centres across six local government areas selected through stratified random sampling from Plateau State's three senatorial districts. The WHO Effective Vaccine Management Assessment tool adapted for Nigeria is used, combining direct observation of cold chain equipment, data logger readings from vaccine refrigerators, review of temperature logs, stock records, and vaccine arrival reporting documents, alongside structured interviews with immunisation cold chain officers. Findings are scored against National Primary Health Care Development Agency cold chain standards, and percentage compliance rates are compared by facility ownership type and local government area. Quantitative data are analysed in SPSS. The 2021 Nigeria Effective Vaccine Management Assessment report identifies North Central states as having above-average cold chain equipment non-functionality rates. The Systems Thinking approach informs the multi-level cold chain failure analysis. Findings will support Plateau State's Expanded Programme on Immunisation in developing a targeted cold chain rehabilitation and maintenance plan. Keywords: cold chain management, vaccines, immunisation, primary healthcare centres, Plateau State.