Sep 16, Kathmandu- District Health Office Parbat has destroyed vaccines worth Rs.3,731,000 this year alone due to the lack of a necessary humidity center. The office has mentioned in the statistics that 1 million 295 thousand doses of vaccine were wasted in this financial year alone.

According to the head of the office, Prabin Sharma, 34.7 percent of the vaccines received in the district were wasted in the year 2080/081. He said that 11 types of vaccines were wasted due to the lack of moisture and temperature required for vaccine storage. He says that after opening some vials, many of them have to be used at the same time, so they are wasted and some are wasted because the temperature cannot be adjusted.

According to statistics, 92 percent of BCG, 73 percent of measles rubella, 48.2 percent of Dp-Hep B-Hib were wasted. Similarly, Sharma informed that 25.9 percent of PCV, 51.4 percent of polio, 61.6 percent of TCI, and 68.6 percent of TD vaccines were wasted.

The head of the office Sharma said that the rate of vaccine wastage is happening all over the country and in other countries as well and this situation cannot go down to zero. Compared to the past, vaccine wastage is gradually decreasing, but if necessary equipment is available, it can be kept safe, he said. He said that if it can be preserved in this way, the problem of wastage will be reduced.

"One vial of BCG contains a vaccine for 20 people", He said, "If only one person comes during vaccination, he should be given it. In this case, the remaining 19 doses will be wasted."

According to him, this year the office has achieved 112 percent progress in vaccination. He says that the number has increased because they come from outside the district for vaccination. According to him, this is because some children go outside the district and some from outside the district also come. The district has been declared a fully vaccinated district after all those in the age group to be vaccinated have completed the vaccination.