KUALA LUMPUR: Over nine million doses of Covid-19 vaccines procured during the pandemic by the Malaysian government expired as of June 2024, which resulted in a RM185mil loss for the government, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
The Health Minister said that the expired vaccines comprised around 10.8% of Malaysia's overall procured vaccine doses during the pandemic which totaled 84.5mil doses as of February 2021.
“A total of 9,159,151 doses of various Covid-19 vaccines that were stored at Health Ministry facilities and storehouses were found to have expired as of June 11, 2024.
“The losses include vaccines that expired due to logistical issues such as stock keeping, storage and others,” he told the Dewan Rakyat during Ministers' Question Time on Thursday (July 11).
He also explained that the heavy loss of vaccines was due to it being the first time Malaysia’s healthcare system was tested by a widespread pandemic.
“But now we know what standard operating procedures to apply and the best practices for any future pandemic if it happens,” he added.
