COVID-19: Over 1 million doses expired – Auditor-General

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

According to the report, the Programme Manager explained that the 1,022,348 vaccines were donated vaccines that were delivered to them close to expiry.

With the fear that the vaccines could accidentally 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.”

According to the Management,  as part of public health measures, the almost expired vaccines were not kept in the cold room at all so that they are not accidentally issued among safe vaccines but rather they were kept out of the cold room and transported to the Regional Health Directorate for destruction according to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Management also indicated that as part of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and in accordance with the law, management is working with a team composed of the Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana Health Service, Health Partners including WHO and/or UNICEF), the Environmental Health department of the relevant Local Government, Environmental Protection Agency and other departments to properly dispose of the expired vaccines.