OVER six million vials of Covid-19 vaccines have been wasted in three Visayas provinces in the past two years, disclosed the Department of Health (DOH).
This, added the DOH, was due to natural calamities, storage and handling.
Health Undersecretary Camilo Cascolan, some P3.58 billion worth of vaccines has been wasted in the Visayas.
“Wastage refers to wasted vaccines due to disasters, broken vials, discoloration, transportation and wrong storage temperature. Remember that different brands have different storage temperature requirement,” Cascolan said.
He added that the wasted vaccines were about 17 percent of the total allocation for the Visayas and still within the 25 to 30 percent acceptable threshold set by the World Health Organization.
However, Cascolan assured the return to supplier and replacement of wasted vaccines.
In Eastern Visayas, some 800,000 vials have been wasted, representing eight percent of total stocks, according to the DoH regional office here.
Most of the wasted vials in the region were caused by typhoon “Odette” in Southern Leyte late last year.
Cascolan visited the city to lead the launch of Bakunahang Bayan for persons deprived of liberty at the city jail under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
The second round of national vaccination days under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. seeks to engage the different local government units and health centers nationwide to administer booster doses to eligible populations.
“We need to make the public aware on the need for protection against Covid-19 especially that there are many gatherings this coming Christmas season,” Cascolan added.
