Auditor General John Muwanga exposed a significant concern In his annual audit of government spending for the fiscal year 2022/2023 – Covid-19 vaccines, amounting to Shs28 billion and procured through a World Bank loan and grant, have expired.
The revelation points fingers at the government’s vaccination efforts initiated during the peak of the pandemic, which reportedly claimed the lives of 3,632 Ugandans. Out of a stockpile of 12,595,920 Covid-19 vaccine doses, a staggering 5,619,120 doses had expired by the reporting date, accounting for a value of Shs28.159 billion.
The potential financial losses are expected to escalate in the coming year, with an estimated Shs300 billion at risk due to more vaccines declared unfit for use. These vaccines were procured using funds from the World Bank loan allocated for Covid-19 support.
This predicament aligns with earlier warnings from the Ministry of Health in the previous year. Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero had informed Parliament that 7,567,200 doses of Covid-19 vaccines were anticipated to expire by the end of February. Dr. Aceng attributed the impending loss to the low uptake of vaccines by the population.
The Ministry’s spokesperson, Mr. Emmanuel Ainebyona, confirmed the decline in vaccine uptake, linking it to a decrease in infections and a positivity rate below one percent. Despite awareness campaigns, fewer skeptical Ugandans perceived the necessity of vaccination.
In December 2021, the World Bank approved additional financing of $180 million (Shs684 billion) for Uganda’s Covid-19 Response and Emergency Preparedness project. The project aimed to enhance access to vaccines and bolster the health system’s resilience. Of this amount, $164.3 million was an International Development Association grant, including funds for host communities, refugees, and essential health services.
The report also shed light on another concerning issue – the National Medical Stores (NMS) had non-viable/expired drug stocks worth Shs33 billion, a 153 percent increase from the prior year. The expired drugs, including Anti-retroviral medication (ARVs), were attributed to changes in treatment guidelines by the World Health Organization.
Disturbingly, competition for ARV drugs arose from livestock and poultry farmers. Officials from the National Drug Authority (NDA) revealed knowledge of the illegal use of ARVs to fatten animals but chose to remain silent for economic reasons, leading to a decade-long continuation of this risky practice.
The Health Ministry, in response to the Auditor General’s findings, expressed the need for a thorough analysis in collaboration with NMS to determine the appropriate course of action.
Parliament’s accountability committees are scheduled to scrutinize the AG’s findings and propose recommendations for adoption by the House, potentially prompting action from the government.
