Over 1 million COVID-19 vaccines expired – Auditor-General

January 23, 2023 3:00 PM

The Auditor General has indicated that over a million doses of COVID-19 vaccines received at the National Cold Room and issued to user facilities had expired at the various Districts and Regions.

COVID-19 vaccine

According to the A-G's report on the money the government spent to fight COVID-19 between the period of March 2020 and June 2022, 1,022,348 vaccines were donated vaccines that were delivered to them close to expiry.

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With the fear that the vaccines could accidentally/mistakenly be issued among the wholesome ones for vaccination which could pose a public health threat to the country, the Auditor General said "We recommended that the Director of Public Health Department should ensure the vaccines are disposed of safely."

The Auditor-General stated that the Programme Manager explained the vaccines were donated vaccines that were delivered to them close to expiry.

The Auditor-General, the government paid over $120m to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) but only $38m worth was delivered.

The A-G stated that section 83 of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) requires the head of the procurement entity to convene a Board of Survey comprising representatives of departments with obsolete stores which shall report on the items and subject to a technical report on them, recommend the best method of disposal.