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Over 5.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, procured through a loan by the Ugandan Government have expired. The vaccines are valued at USD 7.3m and were purchased using a World Bank loan. Some 59 per cent of the eligible population in Uganda is fully vaccinated against Covid-19, stated Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng way back in October.
In the report presented to parliament, Uganda’s Auditor General, John Muwanga, additionally disclosed that other drugs valued at USD 8.6 million, predominantly HIV antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), have expired due to changes in recommended treatment guidelines by the World Health Organization (WHO). By the end of this year, authorities expect the total losses from expired COVID-19 vaccines much higher than the current numbers.
In 2021 over 40 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines stored in government facilities across East Africa were at risk of expiry then. The sluggish pace of administration, attributed to apathy and logistical challenges, was cited as the contributing factor.
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The audit report further reveals that the National Medical Stores (NMS) holds a non-viable or expired stock of drugs valued at 33 billion Shillings, marking a substantial 153% increase from the previous year. Moses Kamabare, ED of Uganda’s National Medical Stores, which distributes supplies to all public health facilities in the country, told AFP that authorities would soon embark on the destruction of the expired vaccines.
