Closing the Gap: The Technicians Strengthening Zambia’s Vaccine Cold Chain
Across Zambia, skilled technicians are building the capacity needed to keep vaccines safe, sustain cold chain systems and ensure every child is reached with life-saving immunisation.
LUSAKA, Zambia, June 2025 — At Northern Technical College (NORTEC) in Ndola, technicians from across Zambia recently completed advanced refrigeration and solar systems maintenance training designed to strengthen the cold chain systems that protect vaccines.
Throughout the country, vaccines travel long distances before reaching health facilities to serve children and families. But before a vaccine can protect a child, it must be stored safely at the correct temperature.
Cold chain systems — refrigerators, solar power systems and maintenance networks — form the backbone of immunisation delivery. When these systems fail, services may be interrupted and children risk missing life‑saving protection.
Technicians working across Zambia’s districts and provinces are responsible for keeping these systems running. For many of them, maintaining cold chain equipment has long been a challenge, especially in remote areas where specialised technical support is far away.
Through the Advanced Refrigeration and Solar Systems Maintenance Training at Northern Technical College (NORTEC), supported by the Ministry of Health Zambia, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and UNICEF Zambia, experts from across Zambia are strengthening the systems that safeguard vaccines.
Their experiences show both the challenges they face and how new skills acquired are helping close immunisation gaps and reach every child.
When Equipment Fails, Services Are Delayed
Delays in accessing specialised repair support often leave critical cold chain equipment unattended, disrupting immunisation services. As Lloyd Andrew from Solwezi District, North-Western Province, explained, certain equipment would not be attended to until they engaged a more specialised technician, which would sometimes take a while.
Today, technicians are returning to their districts with the skills needed to maintain and repair systems independently.
"Now that we have acquired this knowledge, we’ll be able to work on these systems and that will enhance immunisation coverage."
Reaching Communities at the Last Mile
Reaching remote communities has long posed a challenge for maintaining cold chain systems, with Kalunga Bwalya, Central Province, noting that some areas are deep in the outskirts of the country and difficult to access.
With more trained technicians positioned closer to these communities, timely support is now within reach.
"It will not be too much of a problem now, because this programme has trained staff in those hard‑to‑reach areas."
When There Was No One to Repair the System
Repeated cold chain breakdowns have often gone unresolved due to a lack of local repair capacity, as Friday Siame from Kabompo District, North-Western Province, recalled, there were many times when systems failed and there was no one available to fix them.
Now, with strengthened technical capacity, districts are better equipped to respond quickly and keep systems running.
“From now on, we’ll be able to work on our cold chain vaccine fridges as well as other cold chain solar equipment that we have in our districts.”
Learning the Skills to Prevent Breakdowns
Limited technical skills meant that common issues such as gas leaks persisted, with Gracious Lihaka from Nalolo District, Western Province, sharing that most fridges had leakage problems and that skills like brazing were previously lacking.
With new knowledge in preventive maintenance, technicians can now address issues early and ensure consistent service delivery.
“After the training, I will surely implement preventive maintenance just to ensure continuous functionality and service delivery.”
Adapting to Solar‑Powered Cold Chain Systems
The introduction of solar-powered systems brought new challenges for technicians unfamiliar with the technology, as Wamunyima Muubu from Senanga District, Western Province, described, they experienced difficulties because solar had not previously been part of their work.
With updated skills, technicians are now able to manage and maintain these systems to keep vaccines safe.
“I will coordinate the maintenance of solar‑powered refrigerators to ensure that the cold chain runs at all times.”
Protecting Vaccines. Reaching Every Child
Across Zambia, 126 technicians trained through the Northern Technical College (NORTEC) programme are returning to their districts and provinces with strengthened technical skills. Their work keeps vaccine refrigerators functioning, protects vaccine potency and helps ensure that children in even the most remote communities can receive life‑saving immunisation on time.
Behind this effort is a strong partnership between the Ministry of Health Zambia, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and UNICEF working together to strengthen systems and reach every child.
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