KATHMANDU: The committee formed by the government to probe the issue of missing COVID-19 vaccines has submitted its report to the Minister for Health and Population Birodh Khatiwada.

It has stated that only 56,908 jabs of anti-COVID vaccines have gone wasted during the vaccination drive.

The report prepared by the Dr Gunaraj Lohani-led committee submitted a report on Monday saying those vaccines went to waste until February 4. The report was released on Tuesday.

The report stated that so far 45.7 million-plus vaccines were received and a total of 33.8 million-plus vaccines were inoculated while the remaining 12.3 plus doses of vaccines are in the stock. However, the report has admitted that the vaccination drive could not be fully managed. Likewise, the report mentions that some individuals complained that they paid for the vaccine despite the anti-COVID vaccine was available to all for free.

It is stated that the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has been conducting the probe into the alleged misappropriation of the vaccines. In the vaccination campaign program, people beyond the target campaign have also received the COVID jabs, according to the report.

Similarly, the details of the vaccines in some districts and local levels were not regular and fully updated and some of the health institutions had not fully maintained the vaccine coverage records, the report mentions.

Furthermore, nine local levels have not provided the details of the vaccines.