DOH: 7 M COVID jabs expired due to oversupply

Over seven million vials of COVID-19 vaccines in the country expired due to oversupply as there was low demand, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Thursday.

- By RHODINA VILLANUEVA

Last Tuesday, the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged the DOH for expired supplies worth P11,186,368,902.47, including 7,035,161 vials of COVID-19 vaccines, stockpiled in the agency's warehouse and public health facilities.

The DOH explained that having expired COVID-19 vaccines is not unique to the Philippines as it has been observed in other countries as early as April 2022.

"In April 2022, the international scientific community already pointed to COVID-19 vaccine wastage rates of up to 30 percent," it noted.

"Researchers pointed out an imbalance between supply and demand for these vaccines that were much needed in a time of global emergency," the department added.

The DOH though gave COA assurance that it has already adopted measures that can help avoid similar wastage.