DILI, 5 november 2021 (TATOLI) – Around 152.250 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines will expire within the month of november 2021, said The Executive Director of Timor-Leste’s Medical and Pharmaceutical Supply Agency (SAMES), Santana Martins.
“Of the 152.250 doses vaccines, 37.600 doses donated by the Japanese Government will expire on november 9, 2021. While, the 114.650 doses given by the Portuguese government to be expired on november 30 this year,” Martins told TATOLI, at his office, in Dili, on friday.
He said the 114.650 doses had been distributed to all vaccination centers across the country.
“I was informed that some of the vaccination centers still keep some doses of the 37.600, donated by the Japanese government. Our Covid-19 Vaccination team had been putting efforts to administer all of these doses before the expiration date, but it depends on the communities,” said Martins.
In addition, Martins said 7.158 doses of the 100.000 doses of Sinovac vaccines donated by the Chinese government are stored at SAMES, adding these doses would be administered only in Dili.
As of friday (5/11), Timor-Leste’s Medical and Pharmaceutical Supply Agency (SAMES) had distributed 12.673 doses of Pfizer vaccines to vaccination centers (schools) across capital Dili.
Martins informed that currently there are 87.564 doses of Pfizer vaccines are stored at ultra-cold temperature freezers at SAMES.
“The 100.000 doses of Pfizer vaccines from the United States will expire on january 31, 2022, if they are kept at minus 70 degrees Celsius,” Martins said.
In Timor-Leste, 74.7 percent of the eligible groups had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, of which 48.8 percent have been fully vaccinated.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
