Use of MenAfriVac™ (meningitis A vaccine) in a controlled temperature chain (CTC) during campaigns: guidance for immunization programme decision-makers and managers

The need to keep vaccines in a 2°C to 8°C cold chain is a constraining factor for many immunization campaigns due to limited storage capacity and/or limited ice pack freezing capacity; supplementary immunization activities planned across sub-Saharan Africa are a good example. In 2012, the license for the Serum Institute of India’s meningitis A vaccine, MenAfriVac™, was changed based on a thorough review of scientific data by regulatory authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) to allow for the use of the vaccine for a period of up to four days at temperatures of up to 40°C in a controlled temperature chain (CTC). This document provides countries with guidance on when and how to take advantage of this flexibility.