Fourteen doses of the

AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine have been wasted since Jamaica started inoculating

its citizens a week ago, according to the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

Dr Melody Ennis, director

of family services in the Ministry of Health and Wellness made the revelation

while responding to a question at a joint select committee meeting on Tuesday

(March 16).

According to Ennis, there

were two incidents where vaccines were wasted.

“Yes, we have two reports

of wastage. One is

for eight doses that fell from a table in the West … the table collapsed. And the vial broke. It had eight doses in it,” said Ennis

“And there’s another report

of six doses, it was being held in someone’s hand and it slipped out. So we have eight and six are the ones that I have received

reports for as being wasted doses,” added Ennis.

Ennis further shared that

because each vial contained more doses than originally anticipated, with some

having 11 and 12 doses, this has compensated for some of the waste.

However, Minister of

Health, Dr Christopher Tufton, shared that there is a benchmark standard of

about five per cent waste, noting that any further waste of the jabs would be

captured in an audit.

Tufton shared that an

audit, which is underway, will capture details about the vaccination programme

including the number of jabs administered and waste.

“So there is an audit, the

audit that we mentioned, would also account for how the doses have

been used and if there’s any waste. Incidentally, there is normally a benchmark standard up

about 5% waste, I am told. So let’s hope we don’t have that because supplies are

limited,” said Tufton.

Tufton added the audit was

not necessarily being done to determine deviant behaviour,

even though that may turn up, but as a tool to improve programme efficiency and

determine where improvements in

transaction time and cost could be made.