All vaccines at Primary health Centre level are stored in

UPPSC 2017

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: UPPSC 2017

Explanation

Ice Lined Refrigerators (ILRs) are the standard equipment for storing the complete range of vaccines at the PHC level as part of the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) cold chain.
ILRs are designed to maintain a stable temperature between +2°C and +8°C, which is the ideal range for most heat-sensitive and freeze-sensitive vaccines.
The key feature of an ILR is its long 'holdover time'; the ice lining allows it to maintain a safe temperature for many hours during power outages, which is critical for preserving vaccine potency at the primary care level.

Option B: At the PHC level, deep freezers (–15°C to –25°C) are used almost exclusively for preparing and storing frozen ice packs, not for storing the general stock of vaccines.
Option C: Walk-in Cold Rooms are large, pre-fabricated refrigeration units designed for bulk storage of vaccines for entire regions or states.
Option D: Cold boxes are insulated, passive containers used for transporting vaccines from the PHC to immunization sites or for temporary storage during power cuts or defrosting.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Vaccine storage equipment at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) level as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Maintaining the cold chain is a critical nursing responsibility to ensure vaccine efficacy. Improper storage can render vaccines useless, leading to failed immunizations and risk of disease outbreaks.
Nurses at PHCs must perform and document temperature checks twice daily to ensure the ILR is functioning correctly and take immediate action if the temperature is out of range.
What if? - If a PHC experiences a power outage lasting longer than the ILR's holdover time, the nurse must implement the contingency plan, which involves transferring vaccines to an alternate storage location or using cold boxes with conditioned ice packs.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key elements of the question: 'all vaccines', 'storage', and the specific location 'Primary Health Centre level'.
Recall the structure of the vaccine cold chain system. This system has different equipment for different levels (national, state, district, PHC).
Evaluate each option based on its role in the cold chain. A Deep Freezer is for freezing ice packs at this level. A Walk-in Cold Room is for much larger, higher-level facilities. Cold boxes are for transport.
Conclude that the Ice Lined Refrigerator (ILR) is the specific equipment designed for routine, stable vaccine storage at the PHC level.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Vaccine storage equipment at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) level
Stem keywords: vaccines, Primary Health Centre, stored
Lead-in keywords: All
Clinical cues: Setting: Primary Health Centre level

Q6JVg7VYP6op42Tu1rDazT

E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health Nursing for BSc Nursing Students Part 2 — Subpart B (pp 276-535 of 550) p. 228-230

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart A (pp 26-201 of 604) pp. 105-107, 104-106