The Ministry of Health (MoH) has destroyed 19,610 doses of Oxford AstraZeneca Covid vaccine which expired in April this year, as Health Minister Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda said the vaccines already had a short life, upon their arrival.

“The reason the vaccine expired is not that we had too many to use or absorb in the vaccination campaign but, rather, they were of short life by the time we received the donation,” she said.

The destruction of the vaccines happened at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, destroyed publicly to stay accountable to Malawians that the vaccines that expired are not being used during the vaccination campaign. “…on behalf of the Malawi Government, I assure all Malawians that no one will be given expired Covid vaccines,” said the Health Minister.