Vaccine Distribution

Distribution of Vaccines

Introduction

After learning about the previous cases of H1N1 in California and Texas, Tennessee's health officials immediately went to emergency mode. The state operations centre (SHOC) was activated by Tennessee as their initial step and was initially activated in Nashville (Capital of Tennessee). This department used to coordinate with local health partners and state. On Monday 6th July, H1N1 died in Tennessee 48-year-old patient with a pre-existing medical condition at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre in Nashville. The production of vaccine against the H1N1 2009 is now currently available. The vaccine was not distributed through the NHS (Kelly et al, 2009). The Federal Government will buy the vaccine, and CDC coordinated their distribution using procedures similar to those used in the vaccines for children program (VFC) (Ladekarl, 2004). This paper will analyze the distribution of vaccine in the aftermath of H1N1 outbreak in Tennessee.

Thesis Statement

This paper is aimed at analyzing the distribution of vaccine in Tennessee in the wake of the H1N1 pandemic and will look to answer some pressing questions, including the nature of the problem, and the reflection of the problem based on facts.

Background

Vaccine distribution preparation

The summer began with a difficult task, the distribution of the H1N1 vaccines once they were available. Traditionally, in the States, vaccines were distributed to only a limited number of clinics that participated in the federal Vaccines for Children Program (clinics that offer free vaccines to eligible children) .Manufactures also supply to distributors who channel the supplies to clinics, hospitals and physicians. In a state of extensive turmoil the government decided to delegate the distribution of vaccines to manufactures, a problem as they would supply to only those interested. This problem was a lot worst as the exact number of supplies and their availability could not be predicted.

Learning from experience

The 2004/2005 vaccine shortages lead to the cultivation of an experienced medical director Dr.Kelly Moore. October 2004 saw a halt in the production of USA's seasonal flu vaccine supply hence, the federal authorities had to find other manufacturers, supplies of 61 million vaccine doses were received but this amount was less than the demand anticipated.

During these crises, the vaccine distribution task was taken over by different state immunization programs Dr.Moore and her colleagues described the task to be a great challenge as in the midst of a flu season supplies were short, the distribution was a completely new process with little or no experienced in charge. High priority populations (already sick or elderly people) were classified and then hospitals and clinics were supplied with vaccines as notified by officials. The lack of time and the shortage of resource was a huge challenge hence the target population could not be reached directly, thus, in Nov 2004 when supplies reached Tennessee their demand had dropped significantly, a lot of doses hence left unused in the end.

Beforehand planning

Five years later, the same extensive shortage of vaccines broke out. Like before the government assigned the distribution project to the state immunization ...