The African Union Center for Disease Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday called on African countries not to allow wasting vaccines against the Coronavirus that are delivered to them. The authorities of the two organizations said that in Malawi and South Sudan, there is some disruption in the vaccination campaign, and that the vaccines that arrived there have expired due to the delay.
If we do our part and introduce these vaccines, (African countries) will have to take their quota and use these vaccines, ” CDC chief John Nkengasung said at a press conference.
Malawi previously announced that more than 16,000 doses are being prepared to destroy the AstraZeneca vaccine that they failed to administer before the April 13th expiration date on their packages. The vaccines were donated to Malawi by South African telecommunications company MTN, and the African Union arranged delivery of the shipment. More than 80 percent of 102,000 doses can be given before April 13.
South Sudan indicated last week that 59,000 doses of the vaccine could not be used, also due to a problem with the expiration date.
On the other hand, John Nkengasung emphasized that according to the studies made by the Indian Serum Institute, which makes vaccines, the vaccines in question can be used until July 13, and the African Center for Disease Prevention has informed the countries concerned.
In another briefing, Machidisu Moeti, WHO director for Africa, said that expired vaccines should be kept until more information about their uses becomes available. He said the matter needs to be investigated, but says the expiration date could be months longer than originally thought.
According to the African Union, so far 15 million vaccines have been offered to a continent of 1.3 billion people.
