The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday warned of a potential global shortage of up to one to two billion syringes needed to administer COVID-19 vaccinations next year.
“We could have a global shortage of immunization syringes that could, in turn, lead to serious problems such as slowing down immunization efforts as well as safety concerns,” Hedman, WHO senior advisor, from the Access to Medicines and Health Products division, said.
The potential shortage of one to two billion syringes could impact routine immunizations, and undermine needle safety by encouraging the unsafe reusing of syringes and needles, particularly in poorer countries, she added. This practice isn’t advised, she said, as harmful bacteria remained present.
Hedman told the briefing that so far, approximately 6.8 billion COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered worldwide, compared to the total manufacturing capacity of roughly 6 billion immunization syringes a year, noting that a shortage of syringes is “unfortunately a real possibility.”
In order to avoid a shortage of vaccine syringes next year, more factories should move to manufacturing the right kind of device for shots, Hedman added.
“If we shift capacity from one type of syringe to another or attempt to expand capacity for specialized immunization syringes, it takes time and investment,” she said.
The WHO last month issued a similar warning about a potential shortage of vaccine syringes.
“Early next year, COVID-19 vaccines will start pouring into Africa, but a scarcity of syringes could paralyze progress,” the WHO’s regional director for Africa Dr. Matshidiso Moeti said last month, The New York Times reported. “Drastic measures must be taken to boost syringe production, fast. Countless African lives depend on it.
