Using Uniject™ to Increase the Safety and Effectiveness of Hepatitis B Immunization (2002)

This paper describes use of an injection device to immunise Indonesian newborns as soon after birth as possible. Uniject is a technology specifically designed for low-resource settings, including places where children are born at home rather than in a hospital and where it is unlikely that a vaccinator would be able to attend the birth (or visit within a few days). Uniject is a small plastic bubble with a needle attached. It can be pre-filled with any injectable medication, in this case a pediatric dose of hepatitis B vaccine. Since the device can only be used once, it is appropriate for situations where sterilisation of contaminated needles and syringes is difficult, if not impossible. And since hepatitis B vaccine is relatively heat stable - it maintains potency for months even at tropical temperatures - midwives can store the devices at home, ready to use. Results were positive: more infants were protected against hepatitis B earlier in life, health workers and parents liked the device, and use of Uniject seems to be cost-effective.

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