Poorer nations last month rejected more than 100-million doses of Covid-19 vaccines distributed by the global programme COVAX, mainly due to their rapid expiry date, a UNICEF official said on Thursday.
The figure shows the difficulties of vaccinating the world despite growing supplies of jabs, with COVAX getting closer to delivering 1-billion doses to a total of nearly 150 countries.
More than a 100-million have been rejected just in December alone,” Etleva Kadilli, director of Supply Division at UN agency UNICEF told lawmakers at the European Parliament.
The main reason for rejection was the delivery of doses with a short shelf-life, she said.
Poorer nations have also been forced to delay supplies because they have insufficient storage facilities, Kadilli said, including a lack of fridges for vaccines.
UNICEF did not immediately reply to a query about how many doses have been rejected so far in total.
In addition to rejected
You’ve reached your free article limit
Subscribe to enjoy unlimited access to trusted journalism. Cancel anytime.
Subscribe nowNeed help? molokom@insidepolitic.co.za
