Project Optimize was a unique five-year collaboration between the World Health Organization (WHO) and PATH to identify ways in which supply chains can be optimized to meet the demands of an increasingly large and costly portfolio of vaccines. The overarching goal was to generate momentum to move the immunization world closer to an ideal vaccine supply chain that supports stronger, more adaptable, and more efficient logistics systems, extending the reach of lifesaving health technologies to people around the world.
This page contains links to important project Optimize publications in the following categories.
- Information systems
- Vaccine presentation
- Cold chain technologies
- Temperature monitoring
- Controlled temperature chain
- Supply system design and policies
- 2020 Vision for Vaccine Supply and logistics Systems
- Country reports
- Newsletters
All Optimize publications are available on both the PATH Optimize or WHO Optimize websites. For each publication listed below, links to both websites are provided.
Banner used in the Project Optimize Travelling Exhibit. Photo: WHO/PATH.
Information systems
Title | Author | Year | Type | Language |
---|---|---|---|---|
A case for better immunization information systems | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Guidance | English, French |
Before and After: How an Online Immunization Registry has Benefitted Health Workers in Albania | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English, French |
Immunization information systems: IIS in Albania | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English |
Immunization information systems: ImmReg in Vietnam | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English |
Immunization information systems: Logistimo in South Sudan | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English |
Immunization information systems: VaxTrak in Vietnam | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English |
Immunization information systems: vrMIS in Mozambique | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English |
Immunization information systems: wVSSM in Tunisia | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English |
Keeping Track of Vietnam's Vaccines | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2012 | Case study | English |
PATH Immunization Information Systems - Overview | PATH | 2013 | Guidance | English |
Planning an Information Systems Project: A Toolkit for Public Health Managers | Brian Taliesin, Dan Brigden, Jan Grevendonk | Guidance | English | |
Pourquoi devrait-on améliorer les systèmes d'information pour la vaccination? | PATH | 2013 | Guidance | French |
Vietnam’s Immunization Registries Go Online | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English |
Vaccine presentation
Title | Author | Year | Type | Language |
---|---|---|---|---|
Designing vaccines for developing-country populations: ideal attributes, delivery devices, and presentation formats | Debra Kristensen, Michel Zaffran | 2010 | Journal article | English |
Cold chain technologies
Title | Author | Year | Type | Language |
---|---|---|---|---|
Direct-Drive Solar Vaccine Refrigerators | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English, French |
Domestic refrigerators for vaccine storage in Tunisia | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | Case study | English | |
Installing and Testing Battery-Free Solar Refrigerators in Vietnam | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English, French |
Stimulating innovation in the vaccine cold chain equipment industry | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English, French |
Unplugged and keeping cool | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English, French |
Temperature monitoring
Title | Author | Year | Type | Language |
---|---|---|---|---|
Temperature Monitoring for Vaccine Quality | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2012 | Case study | English, French |
Controlled temperature chain
Title | Author | Year | Type | Language |
---|---|---|---|---|
Controlled temperature chain: Taking advantage of the true heat stability of vaccines | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2012 | Case study | English, French |
Use of MenAfriVac™ (meningitis A vaccine) in a controlled temperature chain (CTC) during campaigns: guidance for immunization programme decision-makers and managers | World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Guidance | English, French |
Supply system design and policies
Title | Author | Year | Type | Language |
---|---|---|---|---|
A Moving Warehouse Delivers Vaccines and Essential Health Supplies in Senegal | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English, French |
Integrating the Supply Chains of Vaccines and Other Health Commodities | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English, French |
Integration of vaccine supply chains with other health commodity supply chains: A framework for decision making | Prashant Yadav et al. | 2014 | Journal article | English |
Outsourcing Vaccine Supply Chain and Logistics to the Private Sector | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2012 | Case study | English, French |
2020 vision for vaccine supply and logistics systems
Title | Author | Year | Type | Language |
---|---|---|---|---|
Achieving the Global Vision for Future Immunization Supply and Logistics Systems: Action Plans | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2012 | Guidance | English |
Developing a Vision for Immunization Supply Systems in 2020: Landscape Analysis Summaries | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2011 | Guidance | English |
Now Is the Time | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2020 | Guidance | English |
The imperative for stronger vaccine supply and logistics systems | Michel Zaffran | Journal article | English |
Country reports
Optimize collaborated with national immunization programs in six countries to demonstrate innovative solutions to supply chain challenges. Detailed information on these demonstration projects can be found in the country-specific Optimize reports listed below.
Title | Author | Year | Type | Language |
---|---|---|---|---|
Optimize: Albania Report | A. Mesi, E. Nelaj, Jan Grevendonk, Silva Bino | Case study | English | |
Optimize: Guatemala Report | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English |
Optimize: Senegal Report | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 1960 | Guidance | English |
Optimize: South Sudan Report | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English |
Optimize: Tunisia Report | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English |
Optimize: Vietnam Report | PATH, World Health Organization (WHO) | 2013 | Case study | English |
Newsletters
The Op-ti-mize newsletter was a quarterly publication that highlighted advances and innovations in health care logistics, technologies, and policy - with a focus on immunization. An archive of every edition can be found on the PATH and WHO Optimize websites.