As the covid shots were kept in sub-zero temperatures, a total of 1000 doses of Covishield vaccine were spoiled at a hospital in Assam’s Cachar district.
According to a report in the Times of India, the incident that happened at Silchar Medical College and Hospital was reported to the health department on January 16 and came to light on Monday night.
The district of Cachar needs 98 doses of vaccine every day and the district received 1,000 doses in advance of the national vaccination drive Covid19.
It has been confirmed that the shipment of Covid19 vaccines was frozen within hours of being deposited in a medical college hospital.
As reported, Covid19 vaccines were taken from Guwahati and reportedly kept below the recommended temperature level.
Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the incident could have occurred as the officials concerned were unable to store the vaccine properly due to a lack of training. The Minister told the hospital that senior officials would go to the hospital to investigate the lapses.
“I was told that the cold storage had frozen several doses. But it is very new to the Covid vaccine storage system. Perhaps there was a lack of preparation for the officials who were responsible for the incident. But if we find out anyone has done it purposely, they will prosecute those officials,’ said Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The district immunization officer announced that the vaccine had been partly frozen at -5 to -6 degrees for storage at 2 to 8 degrees.
“The vaccines have to be stored at a temperature of 2-8 degrees Celsius, whereas the temperature of the ILR at SMCH went down to minus 5-6 degrees Celsius. Because of this, the vaccines were partially frozen”, district immunization officer Arund Debnath reportedly said.
The officer further advised that every evening the vaccinator receives a signal from the ILR about the temperature status. However, the vaccinator did not receive a signal on his mobile on the day the vaccines were harmed. In this situation, a probe was launched.
