Staff awareness of oral polio vaccine vial monitor in Chandigarh.

This study highlights the awareness of pulse polio centre staff about polio vaccine vial monitor (VVM) during a National Immunization Day in Chandigarh. Out of the 79 staff members interviewed, only 53 (67%) had ever heard of the VVM and were further interviewed. Fifty (94.4%) staff members were aware that VVM is present on vaccine itself and majority (79.2%) told that it is the inner square with outer circle. Only half were aware of its function and 71.7% knew how to read it. It was observed that awareness among health staff [Health worker (F)/ANM] and volunteers was very poor. There is a need for effective training of staff before subsequent PPI to maintain an effective cold chain.