The Health Ministry plans to provide private pharmacies with around 10,000 doses of flu vaccines in Cyprus to help address supply shortages after thousands of doses ordered for the private market were cancelled.
Deputy Director-General of the Health Ministry Elisavet Constantinou said the doses would be made available once the ministry receives its own order of influenza vaccines.
Cancelled orders leave pharmacies facing shortages
The move follows written notification from Viatris Hellas that it would be unable to fulfil orders for the Influvac flu vaccine intended for Cyprus’s private market.
The cancellation left pharmacies facing a significant gap in their vaccination supply plans.
The Health Ministry’s planned allocation of around 10,000 doses is intended to help address the shortfall, although distribution will depend on when the ministry receives its own shipment.
Delays affect state vaccination programme
The ministry has ordered 110,000 doses of Sanofi’s Vaxigrip TIV vaccine for the state influenza vaccination programme.
However, delivery has been delayed because of international production problems.
The planned transfer of doses to private pharmacies is therefore dependent on the arrival of the ministry’s order, as pharmacies seek to manage demand during the flu vaccination season.
Also read: Four major private hospitals close beds due to nurse shortages
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