Jamaica investigates missing vaccines
Authorities investigate missing vaccines as the Government of Jamaica affirms its commitment to break the cycle of improper distribution of scarce public goods by exercising fairness and integrity in distributing the COVID-19 vaccines.
In a virtual vaccine town hall meeting last Friday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness stated that the Government takes the missing Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine very seriously.
The vial containing 10 doses of the vaccine went missing from the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay on Monday, the same day Jamaica became the first Caribbean country to receive a vaccine shipment via the COVAX Facility.
The Prime Minister underscored that the country must have faith, trust, and confidence, not only in the safety of the vaccine but also in the equitable, safe, and efficient nature of the distribution of the vaccine.
A full investigation has been launched to determine whether there was any negligence, malfeasance, deliberate theft, or corruption involved.
Holness then noted that the Government has focused its efforts on commercial negotiations as well as multilateral and bilateral arrangements to obtain more vaccines to continue the inoculation process.
“Our strategic objective now is to pursue very diligently, our commercial negotiations between Government and producers; our multilateral arrangements which are already set and established with COVAX and the African Medical Supply Platform, and our bilateral arrangements with even more intensity.”
Holness added that the strategy should increase the small supplies, and rapidly expand the distribution of the vaccine.
Likewise, he encouraged opinion leaders to use their influence to get the people to follow the infection prevention and control measures.
“We all have to be committed to taking the vaccine. I again appeal to those persons who have the public’s ear and trust, to use your influence in the right way to get people on board with the infection prevention and control measures and get vaccinated. We must exercise a great deal of responsibility for our destiny as a people, and that is how we will, together as one family, recover stronger, better, faster, fairer, and more sustainably.”