Equipment monitoring systems (EMS)

Dan Brigden

Equipment monitoring system (EMS) is a set of WHO PQS specifications that enable standardized, interoperable collection of cold chain equipment (CCE) performance data. It aims to make those data available to service technicians, health facility workers, and optionally to remote viewers or to aggregate reporting. EMS will be a WHO PQS requirement for solar direct drive (SDD) vaccine refrigerators and ice-lined refrigerators (ILRs) from 2026.

This page lists key resources and publications on EMS, organised into the following sections:

A full list of EMS content on TechNet, including forum discussions, can be found here

Introduction to EMS

TitreAuteurAnnéeTypeLangue
Equipment Monitoring Systems (EMS) - Video overviewNew Horizons2025TrainingAnglais

Using temperature data

TitreAuteurAnnéeTypeLangue
Strengthening Data Use for Cold Chain Performance MonitoringUNICEF2025GuidanceAnglais
Using Temperature Data to Solve Cold-Chain Equipment ProblemsImmunization Academy2017TrainingAnglais, Haoussa, Swahili, Français
How to monitor temperatures in the vaccine supply chainUNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO)2015GuidanceAnglais, Français
Cold Chain Temperature Data Job AidJSI, PATH, VillageReach, New Horizons2025GuidanceAnglais

Webinars on EMS

TitreAuteurDateLangueMots-clés
Equipment Monitoring Systems (EMS): The future of interactive cold chain performance monitoringOmileye Toyobo, Karuna Luthra, Isaac Gobina, Denise Habimana, Brian Pal2021-12-02AnglaisEMS, Suivi de performance, PQS

Webinars on temperature monitoring

TitreAuteurDateLangueMots-clés
Data at your fingertips: how to best use your 30 Day Temperature Recorder (30DTR) dataAmos Chweya, Brian Pal, Jacobus Schoevers, Wendy Prosser2021-11-18AnglaisQualité des données, Surveillance de la température
Surveillance de la température et gestion des performances des équipements de la chaîne du froid (16ème Conférence TechNet)Ngwegwe Bulula, Ernest Some, Brian Pal, Abubakar Sani2020-10-20FrançaisSurveillance de la température
Temperature monitoring and performance management of cold chain equipment– two complementary approaches (16th TechNet Conference)Ngwegwe Bulula, Ernest Some, Brian Pal, Abubakar Sani2020-10-20AnglaisSurveillance de la température
Where are we with temperature monitoring of cold chain?Wendy Prosser, Ranjit Dhiman, Jalia Nanfuka2021-11-11AnglaisSurveillance de la température
RTMDs: How to get the most out of your real-time temperature monitoring dataRanjit Dhiman, Nwajide Chidiebele Ifeoma, Jalia Nanfuka, Jacobus Schoevers, Mohammed Wazir Sadiqi, Bonaventura Nestory, Alex Mbyalu, Abdul Mateen Husainkhil2021-11-25AnglaisSurveillance de la température
Connecting the dots: Using CCE temperature monitoring data to improve cold chain systems and maintenance practicesKaran Sagar, Michelle Seidel, Souleymane Kone2021-12-09AnglaisQualité des données, Suivi de performance, Surveillance de la température

PQS documents on EMS

TitreAuteurAnnéeTypeLangue
WHO PQS performance specifications for EMS WHO PQS2025GuidanceAnglais
WHO PQS Introduction to EMSWHO PQS2023PresentationAnglais
WHO PQS frequently asked questions on EMSWHO PQS2023GuidanceAnglais

Procurement of EMS-enabled products

TitreAuteurAnnéeTypeLangue
Cold Chain Equipment Optimization Platform Technology Guide (2023)Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance2023User guideAnglais
Cold chain support package - Procurement guidelines - Solar direct-drive vaccine refrigerators and freezersUNICEF2020TrainingAnglais
Cold Chain Equipment Programme and Technology Guide (2026)Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance2026GuidanceAnglais, Français