Guidelines on stock records for immunization programme - Path

3. Stock keeping records
Stock keeping records are used to record information about items in storage.
They must contain the quantity received/issued, quantity in hand and the quantity of
losses and adjustments. Consumption data are not found on stock keeping records
since it is collected by the lower levels.
Whenever commodities are received, issued or separated to be discarded they should
be entered in stock recording system immediately. Entries should also be recorded
when stock is counted during a physical inventory.
Stock records are completed by the authorized staff receiving and issuing stock from
the store as well as the ones who are actively involved in physical inventories.
There are two types of stock records in a vaccine cold store:
• batch card (bin card)
• inventory control card (store ledger)
3.1 Batch card
A batch card is an individual stock keeping card that keeps information about a
single batch of a product. For example, one batch card would contain information
about a single lot of hepatitis B (HepB) vaccine in a cold room. It should note the
quantity in hand, losses and adjustments for that particular batch of HepB.
Batch cards are kept by the store manager and should indicate the bin location
(in which refrigerator or shelves of the cold room the batch is located). When there
is more than one batch on stock, batch card with the earliest-expiry should be placed
on top. This will allow to practice and follow EEFO principle. Once the batch is
exhausted, the card should be kept in another cabinet for filing. WHO-UNICEF
EVSM initiative requires that such records are kept for at least three years.
Figure 3 shows a sample batch card. As for diluent for freeze dried vaccines,
a separate batch card should be opened.
WHO/IVB/06.12
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