Authorities investigate case of expired vaccines administered to children

Child Immunization campaign in Maldives in 2020 | File Photo: UNICEFMaldives | Sharif

Malé, Maldives – Health Protection Agency (HPA) and main public hospital IGMH have initiated investigations on Friday into an alleged case of administering expired vaccines to children at Villimalé Hospital.

IGMH released a statement read that the hospital will take strict action against the parties responsible for this act. Further, measures will also be taken to ensure that such an incident does not repeat.

Vaccination services at Villimalé Hospital has been stopped to immediate effect.

The issue was brought to attention by MP for Vilimale Constituency Ahmed Usham on Thursday. The Vilimalé representative shared a photograph of the vaccine vial indicating an expiry date of January 2022.

MP Usham stated that multiple complaints were being received from residents of Vilimalé regarding expired vaccine use and called for accountability from the government regarding the matter.