SAFETY, EFFECTIVENESS AND EASE OF USE OF A NON-REUSABLE SYRINGE IN A DEVELOPING-COUNTRY IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM

Unsterile needles and syringes may transmit blood-borne infectious age nts such as HIV and hepatitis B virus. The emergence of these diseases as major public health concerns and the risk of nosocomial transmissi on has heightened interest in the development of single-use injection devices. WHO and UNICEF embarked on a programme to develop and introdu ce these devices in 1987, We report on a field trial in Karachi, Pakis tan, of the SoloShot(TM) (SS) plastic disposable syringe, which has a metal clip in the syringe barrel to prevent second-time withdrawal of the plunger, A conventional disposable syringe (CS) was used as a comp arison. We observed 48 vaccinators giving 2400 injections with the SS and 1440 with the CS; 98.7% of SS performed as designed, The average v olume required per delivered dose was comparable for the two syringes and was delivered more quickly with SS. Training and experience had a small but statistically significant effect on several aspects of SS us e, Vaccinators who indicated a syringe preference preferred SS on 7 ou t of 9 indicators. SS is safe and effective in preventing reuse and is easier and quicker to rise than the CS, Vaccinators require little, i i any, special training, It could directly replace disposable syringes in expanded programmes on immunization (EPI) in countries where use o f unsterile disposable devices occurs or when sterilization is not pra ctical.