By Hamid Ayodeji
A technology firm, Gricd, has built a smart cold chain box to actively keep temperature sensitive items regulated during transportation and storage.
The solution was created to improve the current method of transporting temperature sensitive items as well as ensuring the safety of the items when transported, by providing real time monitoring of the items in the box and monitor its temperature remotely.
According to the Chief Executive Officer, Gricd, Oghenetega Iortim, who spoke during an interview with THISDAY, the sensitive items are stored and transported using Styrofoam boxes and ice packs which are largely inefficient.
Iortim said, “In contrast, our solution maintains fixed pre-set temperatures and communicates vital information while being transported, such as the storage temperature, location of device and other features necessary for last mile delivery planning.
“Some of the challenges in the system today include low routine immunisation due to ineffective methods of transporting vaccines and blood to its designated destination.”
He also explained that with the Gricd solution, these items would be readily and easily accessible in difficult to reach regions, adding that in building the solution, the firm followed best practices to ensure data security.
Iortim added: “In contrast to what is obtainable in the market, our product is cheaper. Our solution is built for the African and Middle East Asian region, which have relatively smaller health budgets.
“Globally about 19.4 million infants do not have access to vaccines and due to the lack of cold chain storage or last mile solutions 40 per cent of maternal deaths occur in areas without access to blood.”
