Over 40 million Covid-19 Vaccines Could Go to Waste in East Africa.

East African countries are facing the problem of expiring Covid-19 vaccines as people are becoming increasingly apathetic towards getting vaccinated.

Uganda has a stockpile of 13.4 million vaccines which are expected to expire in four months due to the unfounded perception of the vaccines' side effects.

Uganda cannot sell or donate these vaccines and will lose a significant amount of money if they expire unused. Kenya also faces the problem of disposing of at least one million doses that may expire soon.

The decline in people's interest in getting vaccinated is the main reason for this.

Tanzania leads in the administration of vaccines despite initial anti-vax sentiment, with about 39 million doses dispensed, followed by Rwanda and Uganda, both of which have given out 26 million doses each.

Kenya has administered 23 million doses, but only a few are being vaccinated each day. The WHO says that the shelf life of a vaccine reflects its potency and stability, and the expiry date is established based on the shelf life.

The loss of vaccines is not just the cost of destruction but also the healthcare cost of someone falling ill or dying from a preventable disease.

The Ugandan government is making efforts to boost vaccination rates, but various obstacles such as vaccine hesitancy, inadequate vaccine supplies, and logistical difficulties reaching remote areas have hindered progress.

Similarly, in Kenya, about one million doses of vaccines may need to be disposed of within a month due to their expiration, and this figure may rise to four million if the vaccines in storage are not utilized.

Currently, the daily administration of vaccines in Kenya has dropped to less than 200 doses from 2,000 doses when the country was facing waves of Covid-19 infections.

The majority of those receiving the vaccine are individuals travelling to foreign destinations where vaccination is mandatory.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), among the East African Community (EAC) countries, Tanzania has administered the most vaccines, despite initial denial and anti-vaccine sentiments among the population, with around 39 million doses given.

Meanwhile, Rwanda and Uganda have each administered 26 million doses, Kenya 23 million, Congo 13 million, South Sudan 3 million, and Burundi 35,000 doses. The Kenyan Ministry of Health reports that out of the 23 million doses administered, more than 19 million have been given to adults over the age of 18, and 3 million have been given to children aged 12 to 18.