INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 9, ISSUE 04, APRIL 2020 ISSN 2277-8616

e-VaccIMS: A Web-Based Vaccine Inventory

Management In The Health Office Entrenching
Forecasting Algorithm
Mariannie A. Rebortera
Abstract— The motivation of Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) of the World Health Organization was basic and direct which is to deliver
various vaccines to all children through a basic timetable of child visits to the health centers to control and destroy vaccine-preventable diseases.
Accuracy in forecasting vaccine demand is necessary to ensure normal operation during immunization. It is essential to often keep an inventory to
guarantee continuous, accurate and timely delivery of the supply of vaccine so that quality standards are observed. However, in the City Health Office of
Panabo City, Davao del Norte Philippines lacks the efficient and systematic way of managing inventory such as recording vaccine stocks and
dispensing. It is time consuming in recording the incoming stocks manually and dispensing of the vaccine and record keeping of transactions are
tedious. These processes are needed to guarantee accuracy in forecasting vaccine demand. Traditional way is prone to errors and inaccuracy. Thus, the
development of a web-based inventory management for efficient transactions in receiving and dispensing of vaccine is conceptualized. The evaluation of
the processes during the pilot testing of the said system achieves very good performance rating in monitoring the supply, ensuring consistency of the
vaccine vial records and furnishing of report for efficient planning and control of vaccine. This means that the system met the objective and conforms to
the user requirements. Furthermore, embedding the system to a vaccine demand forecasting algorithm is the future plan of this study.

Index Terms—City health IMS, Health office inventory, Inventory management system, Procurement decision support, Vaccine demand forecasting,
Web-based inventory management, Vaccine inventory system.
——————————  ——————————
1 INTRODUCTION related information between the point of origin and the point of
The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) was consumption in order to meet consumer’s requirements [14]
propelled by the World Health Organization (WHO) way back which in turn, if not given attention may results to instability of
1974. Its motivation was basic and direct which is to deliver vaccines and inadequacy of supply in the routine and
various vaccines to all children through a basic timetable of supplementary immunization schedules and the level of
child visits to the health centers [1], [2], [3] established through inventory should be optimized. In the Philippines, the lead of
routine immunization (RI) across nations that gives admittance Routine Immunization (RI) for infants and children is through
to life sparing immunizations, prevents and abridged untimely the ―Reaching Every Barangay (REB)‖ approach, a fine-tuning
death or a lifetime of disability [4], [5]. Immunization is from the ―Reaching Every District (RED)‖ methodology of
acknowledged as one of the most successful public health ―WHO-UNICEF‖, which expects to enhance the entrance of
interferences ever conceived [6] that helps control and destroy routine immunization and diminishing drop-outs. There are five
vaccine-preventable diseases [7], [8]. Inventory management (5) parts of the approach, to be specific: study of facts for
of vaccine in the cold rooms and in the shelves will guarantee action, re-create outreach services, fortifies connections amid
availability and accessibility for on-time immunization groups and administrations, strong management and
administration to infants and children [9]. Vaccines are augmenting supplies. Additionally, the exactness of the
temperature-sensitive [10], [3] products where shelf life is estimates is vital - underestimating the supplies results in
affected directly by temperature conditions. It is imported into vaccine shortages, overestimating results in excess stock -
the country to the national vaccine store, and then distributed increases the cost. Its significance relies upon the exactness -
until they reach health facilities. It is where vaccines are stored mulling over the kind of immunization, the presentation (vial
until they are used for immunization [6]. Outreach conveyance size), the amount and the planning of delivery of the vaccine.
and health center visit are the two most applied immunization Poor forecasting may bring about delays or shortages in
arrangement [11]. Careful attention is needed to ensure delivery, extra expenses, and diminishes validity. Besides,
optimal potency of vaccines since cold chains is time-critical, keeping up vaccines at appropriate temperatures has turned
complex and dynamic [12]. Storage and transport of vaccines out to be more perplexing on the grounds that some new
are the important activity in the cold chain from the vaccines loss its potency by freezing while others are harmed
manufacturer through the primary vaccine store down to the by heat exposure. Poor management of vaccines practices
outreach sites commonly at health centers. To ensure normal has huge financial consequences too [9]. The City Health
operation, it is essential to often keep an inventory to Office (CHO) of Panabo City in particular is one of the most
guarantee continuous and timely delivery of the supply of important entities who took charge of the vaccine cold chain
vaccine and quality standards are observed, otherwise, and delivering immunization program and schedules to each
insufficient inventory causes shortage and disruption [13]. of the forty (40) member barangays. CHO manages the
Managing inventory is the part of supply chain management receiving, dispensing and monitoring of each of the EPI
that plans, implements and controls the efficient, effective, vaccine. Insufficient inventory may cause shortages and result
forward, and reverse flow and storage of goods, services, and in the interruption of the program and delays immunization of
affected infants/children. The inventory management of
———————————————— vaccine in CHO specifically the receiving and dispensing of
vaccine stocks (i.e BCG, DPT, DPT-HepB-Hib, HepB, Measles,
 Mariannie A. Rebortera, Assistant Professor III, Davao del Norte MMR, Polio, Pneumoccocal (PCV), Rotavirus and TT) are
State College, New Visayas Panabo City Philippines 8105, done manually. The current way of recording in the issuances
[email protected] ledger and the receiving of supply recorded in the stock card

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provided for each vaccine makes it tough in monitoring the buffer stock in some way is looked-for but this can steer stock
overstocking and under stocking of supply as well as losses out as well in the absence of consistent stock management
through deterioration, pilferage, wastages and damages. approaches. Moreover, inventory management ensures an
Moreover, the file of papers is increasing as the daily operation intermittent supply of stock to avoid stock out and have
goes on and the ordering, receiving and dispensing of vaccine constant and proficient service, maintaining sufficient stock,
becomes tedious and time consuming. Furthermore, controlling investment in inventories by keeping at an optimum
reordering of vaccine using the order form is done in traditional level of production while minimizing carrying costs and time
way where data entry is prone to errors. This will lead to [19]. Purchasing, classification store keeping and stock taking
inaccuracy of the number of different vaccine vial to be are several undertakings in the domain of inventory
requested and later affects the stock levels and reorder time of management. Furthermore, the importance of inventory
supply. These limitations if not given much attention, may management includes ascertaining the present and future
result to insufficiency of supply. Moreover, there is a need to requirements for all types of inventory to avoid overstocking
give focus on the accuracy of vaccine supply to every recipient while avoiding ―bottleneck‖ and ensuring the safety, security of
barangay to avoid circumstances which may lead to potential supplies, the avoidance of deterioration, theft, waste and
risk against vaccine preventable-diseases. Also, lack of obsolescence.
automated systems, stock outs are experienced often and
replenishment is done hurriedly leading to costly inventory 2.2 Ensure consistency to attain optimal stock levels and
management and likewise low performance standards. Hence, quantity for restocking.
there is a need to enhance the inventory management of There are policies for inventory of perishables like ordering,
vaccine in the City Health Office (CHO) of Panabo City and issuing, disposal and pricing but among these ordering and
aim to expedite convenience in furnishing of reports for enticing entices and draws most interests [20]. It responds to
efficient planning in procurement decision, control of inventory the time and way to order the product and taking off those
and higher accuracy in forecasting vaccine demand. The items from the inventory. As such, it directly influences the age
following parts of the paper are structured as follows: Section of inventory items; hence, models for issuing policies need to
II looks into the idea of monitoring supplies, ensuring consider both shortages and losses due to perishability.
consistency and furnishing of reports for efficient planning, Furthermore, in order to intensify inventory, optimization is
inventory control and policy. Section III outlines the suggested needed to meet its goal which is ascertaining reasonable level
system as a procurement decision support strategy. Section IV of stocks and the quantity of replenishment of supply [21], [22].
outlines the well as the outcomes and discussion of results ABC Analysis and Cycle counting ensures accuracy
and finally, suggestions and conclusions are offered in Section determining the what is in stock, how much is in stock each
V. item and where it is kept [23]. The main goal is keeping
inventories on optimal level; avoiding stock outs and excesses,
2 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE solves the controversial dependent tasks which is measured
through availability of supply. Thus, a beneficial inventory
2.1 Monitor Supply of Vaccines management is a balance between availability of stocks and
As immunization programs prospers, better and productive holding inventory cost.
inventories set expanded weights to make exact estimates for
item requests, allocate supplies more effectively, settle on the 2.3 Furnish report for efficient planning, inventory
correct speculation choices, and improve delivery of supply. control and policy.
Managing all these requires exact and helpful data to sustain Cold chain performance depends on the provided steadfast
supply and equipment needs, substantiate scope rates, discernment and routine system management and
perceive temperature in the cold rooms, and characterize assessment of the inventory [15]. It is about how much and
ineffective associations in the supply chain. While vaccines are when to achieve stock reasonably following classification of
rolled out worldwide, cold chain systems struggle to support what is needed. The effectivity of the inventory management
the national immunization program or other known as EPI practices considered the just-in-time (JIT) inventory method
which resulted in risks of reduced potency of vaccine due to [24]. A method where stocks are ordered based on the
poor temperature control, poor availability of immunization necessary amount to meet instantaneous manufacture needs
supply due to inadequate storage capacity, disrupted service and be settled at the time needed. The method rises
delivery, vaccine stock outs and losses from vaccine wastage productivity, lessens waste and reduces costs of inventory
[15]. Obsolescence and/or deterioration is also emphasized in management and lead time costs. Moreover, the development
the inventory management of perishable items in all of inventory management system is cited as best approach
operations and cited that demand is the main characteristic of especially in monitoring the inventory information. Proper
inventory system [16]. The Markov Decision Model (MDP) is handling of the inventory system will help operations
built for the optimal ordering policy and expected to minimize accordingly and will diminish poor planning [19]. It is also a set
the cost of inventory and avoids shortages and deterioration of policies and controls that will help decision making process
but needs improvement because the model does not consider in monitoring and maintaining the inventory level, the
individual expiration dates for each item in the inventory. First- procurement for replenishment and size of the orders should
in-First-out stock management practices when vaccine stock be and all the cost incurred [25]. This significance is also true
exceeds in the cold rooms and alleviate issues concerning in the electronic supply management systems [26] where the
storage volume [17], [18]. However, stocking at the lower level physical counting is highlighted and recommended the use of
still leads to countrywide instantaneous situations of SKU Identifier. It also electronically apprises the records,
overstocking and stock outs because vaccines are stored simplifies the reports of supplies on-demand. It facilitates the
where there is space rather than needed. A viewpoint to lessen periodic inventory with the use of barcode scanner and system

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reports. Stock record system (SRS) in documentation system

is an efficient inventory control, where it can be manual or
automated. It is mainly used in taking and storing the details of
inventory [27]. The first-in-first-out (FIFO) is the basis for
dispensing stocks, without delays, which is mostly for items
with expiration dates and limited shelf lives and record
updating. There are also policies proposed [28] such as fresh-
first (FF), old first (OF) and optimized priority (OP), where it Fig. 2. Conceptual Framework
allows the model identify which items to sell anytime to
maximize profit but it is different from first-in-first-out (FIFO)
and last-in-first-out (LIFO).

3 METHODOLOGY
This section will discuss the methodology used. The study
adopted the system development life cycle method in
developing the inventory management system of the City
Health Office of Panabo City- EPI Vaccine Cold Chain as
shown in Figure 1.

Fig. 3. Data Flow Diagram

3.3 Design
The system was developed as a web-based (ready)
application and was written using Laravel for the web
application, Vue.js and Laragon. The in-charge can access the
user interface through the login form that contains links for
navigations like dashboards which contains a prompt of near
to expire vaccine, the vaccine encoded and barangays as
Fig.1. System Development Life Cycle Model shown in Figure 4. Issuances form shows the number, date
and types of vaccine issued as shown in Figure 5. Figure 6
3.1 Planning shows the adding and updating of vaccine types. The user
The researcher conducted an interview with the cold chain interface was created in a simple way and user friendly so that
manager/vaccine in-charge of the City Health Office, City the in-charge can easily access navigations for every vaccine
Health Office head. The in-charge discussed and explained transaction.
the processes and policy of the inventory of the cold chain.
The in-charge also presented the forms used for the daily
transactions specifically the receiving and dispensing of
vaccine including the temperature monitoring of the cold room
and the process of re-ordering vaccine to the Provincial Health
Office.

3.2 Analysis
Several meetings, interviews and observations were made to
define the need and identify the processes to jumpstart the
development of the said system to help the cold chain
manager/vaccine in-charge increase the efficiency and lessen
the paper works especially in recording vaccine transactions. Fig. 4. Dashboard of the Inventory Management System
Policies such as first-in-first-out (FIFO) and last-in-last-out
(LIFO) or fresh first (FF), old first (OF) and optimized priority
(OP) were tackled and discussed. Conceptual framework was
created as guide in the development of the system as shown
in Figure 2 as well as the data flow diagram in Figure 3
showing the processes included in the system.

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vaccine supply through adding and updating of vaccine types,

quantity and issuances to every barangay and adjustment of
losses through deterioration, pilferage, wastages or damages
as shown in Table 2. Ensuring the consistency on the numbers
of vaccine vial in records and in the cold room to attain optimal
stock levels and quantity for reorder time otherwise known as
objective number two (2), gain a rating of 4.8 as presented in
Table 2, which means that the system has met the required
system functionality like displaying and notifying the user of
the near to expire vaccine type, its quantity, expiration dates
and re-order time; generates reports of stock in, issuances and
current stock level. Moreover, the system also attains the
rating of 5.0 for objective number three (3) which means the
system met the user requirements needed to expedite
furnishing of reports for efficient planning and control of
Fig.5. Vaccine Issuances Form inventory as exhibited in Table 2. All the processes included in
the system achieves a very good performance and met the
user’s requirement.

5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In summary, the overall ratings shown in Table 2, based on the
completeness of the user requirements and system
functionality, shows concrete evidence on the acceptance of
the EPI-vaccine inventory management system in the City
Health Office of Panabo City. It helps the cold chain manager
lessen the time consumed in recording transactions and
automates the process such as receiving (stock in),
dispensing (issuances) and adjustment on the quantity of
vaccine due to losses through deterioration, pilferage, damage
or wastage and a good start for a paperless transaction in the
cold chain section. It also notifies users near to expire vaccine
for easy identification and to prompt the vaccine cold chain
manager of the number quantity to issue first which was
adopted and used and applies the optimized priority (OP)
policy that was suggested and discussed during the analysis
Fig. 6. Adding/Updating of Vaccine Form phase. The reports generated such as vaccine transactions,
given the date range specified, helps the vaccine cold chain
3.4 Implementation
manager and Office head to have an efficient inventory and
Alpha testing of the system and user training was conducted. achieve a better performance of the planning and control and
The user evaluated the system based on the requirements later on the forecasting accuracy of vaccine demand. For
needed. Evaluation sheet was provided to rate the future enhancement, the development of mobile and web-
performance and completeness of the system functionality if based submission of reports of the immunization, vaccine
that conforms to the user requirements. The evaluation sheets consumption undertaken and vaccine requisition from the
contain the system functionalities, brief description of the level health centers through the health workers from the forty (40)
of efficiency that the system had brought to the intended user member barangay of Panabo City is suggested. Furthermore,
and rating equivalence in Table 1 (based on capstone projects) embedding the system to a vaccine demand forecasting
is provided as basis for result of the evaluation. algorithm is the future plan of this study.
3.5 Maintenance TABLE 1. RATING EQUIVALENCE
This phase gives emphasis on ensuring that the needs
continue to be met and that the system continuous to perform
according to user requirements. Routine checks on the
hardware and software and perform upgrades if necessary to
ensure effective system operations. User training continues as
needed, to acquaint new users to the system or introduce new
features to the users.

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The system was evaluated by the Cold Chain
Manager/Vaccine in-charge and the City Health Office Head.
The system’s objective number one (1) obtain the rating of 5.0
which means it has met the user requirements to support the
monitoring of the supply to avoid overstocking, stock outs of
TABLE 2. SUMMARY OF RATINGS
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pp. 295–301, 2013.

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Health Officer of the City Health Office of Panabo City. ―Reducing the loss of vaccines from accidental
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