About 2000 doses wasted due to low vaccine coverage

ABOUT 2000 vaccine doses have been wasted after reaching its expiry date due to low vaccination coverage in of the provinces.

This was revealed by the Technical Advisor at the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) Dr Yogesh Choudri during yesterday’s talk-back show.

He could not reveal which doses and which provinces.

“There was experience of 2000 doses which expired in one of the provinces,” he said.

He said the doses were supposed to be transported to one of the provinces which had a faster vaccination rollout.

However, due to recent bad weather the doses could not make it.

“Due to bad weather, we have lost 2000 doses of vaccines,” he said.

Its understood the country has been rolling out Astrazeneca and Sinopharm since March.

Therefore, Dr Choudri yesterday reiterate the need to increase vaccination coverage in the country so that donors and international community that continue to supply vaccines  can be convinced and supply more.

“Because if there are not many people getting vaccinated and there are wastage, this does not send a good signal to the donors and the international community

“So we have to work constantly to increase our vaccination coverage and protect our people,” he said.

He also highlighted that its very expensive to send health teams out to the rural communities and the provinces.

So when there health team visits communities, its important to get the jab, he added.

He said Pfizers will be offered at the health centres and at the schools next year.

Pfizer was officially launched on Thursday and is targeting 50,000 pregnant mothers and teenagers aged between 12 to 18.