A police investigation as well as an independent audit are underway at the National Health Fund, NHF, in the wake of reports that the effectiveness of thousands of Covid vaccines were compromised at the pharmaceutical warehouse, 2 weeks ago.
Details of the matter are expected to be outlined at the Health Ministry‘s Covid Conversations press briefing this evening (January 6).
The NHF said Deputy Board Chairman Shane Dalling will be on the programme to provide an update, including the progress of the police investigation.
In a statement earlier today, the NHF revealed that the Jamaica Constabulary Force has begun a probe into the circumstances leading to the breakdown in the operation of a cold room at the National Health Fund‘s pharmaceutical warehouse.
This incident occurred on December 24, 2021 and thousands of vaccine doses were affected.
The NHF said while distribution of the vaccines that were stored in the affected cold room has been suspended, approximately 500,000 doses of other Covid vaccines are available to continue Jamaica’s Covid Vaccination Programme.
It said these other vaccines were stored in another cold room operated at the NHF pharmaceutical warehouse.
It added that the Ministry of Health was briefed on the incident and is being provided with updated reports.
According to the statement, contact was made with relevant health organizations and medical experts to provide advice on the efficacy of the vaccines involved, in order to make a determination on their use.
The NHF Board of Management has also requested the services of the auditing firm, Price Water House Coopers, to conduct an independent investigation.
This is to determine whether the NHF’s management followed the standard operating procedures for temperature monitoring of cold rooms at the pharmaceutical warehouse, upon being alerted to the temperature irregularity.
The NHF said full restoration of the affected cold room was completed and it is fully operational and functioning normally.
It said additional measures were instituted in order to minimize chances of recurrence and to reduce the risks associated with the warehousing of pharmaceuticals requiring cold storage.
The NHF said the public will be provided with further updates as the investigation continues.