The bifurcated needle (Fig. 1b) was invented by Benjamin Rubin in 1961 for smallpox vaccination. It consists of two sharp prongs which hold vaccine fluid by capillary action between the two tines. The use of this device is simple and does not require trained personnel (Baxby 2002; Weniger and Papania 2008) . The needles are dipped into vaccine and then punctured perpendicularly into skin repeatedly over an area of about 5 mm diameter by a process called scarification (WHO 2010) . Although this method was effective for the smallpox eradication program, poorly controlled dosing, inefficient use of vaccine and needle-stick injuries were significant shortcomings that have limited the use of bifurcated needles for other vaccines.