Despite advisory from Ministry of Health to states to keep wastage of vaccines less than 1%, states like Jharkhand have recorded wastage as high as 37.3%.
https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1397406093286907908?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwChhattisgarh was second state to record vaccine wastage above 30% at 30.2%. Tamil Nadu recorded wastage of vaccines at 15.5%, Jammu & Kashmir at 10.8% and Madhya Pradesh at 10.7%. These states have recorded vaccine wastage way higher than national average of 6.3%.
While Congress is alliance partner in Jharkhand, it is the ruling party in Chhattisgarh.
According to a report by ET Now, two weeks back Haryana topped the list of wasting vaccines at 6% for Covishield and 10% for Covaxin. However, Haryana Additional Chief Secretary Rajeev Arora said that the state has brought it down to 3.1% and 2.4% respectively.
Vaccine wastage
Vaccine wastage in all vaccination programmes is unavoidable. However, efforts should be made to minimise the wastage. Vaccine wastage can happen during transportation, storage and even at vaccination centres.
The COVID-19 vaccines are supplied in a 10-dose multi-dose vials. Chances are that some bottles may be broken while being administered. Also, if a 10-dose pack is opened and not all doses are used, the remaining go waste. This has been one of the biggest contributing factors in vaccine wastage.
Further, the vaccines need to be stored at a particular temperature. Failure of it can result in wastage of vaccines. Pilferage and theft can also not be ruled out. Another way the vaccines may be wasted is contamination.
Wastage Multiplication Factor (WMF) is taken into consideration while planning the vaccination programme.
As per MoHFW’s guideline, WMF = Wastage Multiplication Factor = 1.11 for COVID-19 vaccine, assuming an allowable programmatic wastage of 10% [WMF = 100/(100 – wastage) = 100/(100-10) = 100/90 = 1.11]