It was in February 2022 when the first lots of the Sputnik V vaccine expired against the COVID-19 that Guatemala bought from Russia, and as a domino effect, on April 30 of that same year the last roads defeated. Because of this, 4 million 824 thousand 524 doses were wasted.
Three years have passed and the biological remains under shelter from the Ministry of Health. Has not been destroyed because The Public Ministry (MP) requested it as an early evidence In an investigation related to the purchase of vaccines, a research that began in 2021.
According to the MSPAS, the product is in a winery in the administrative direction of the portfolio, located in Zone 8 capital. There are 2 million 197 thousand 604 doses of the first component of the vaccine, which arrived in Guatemala in nine lots and defeated between February 28 and April 30, 2022.
Meanwhile, of the second component there are 2 million 626 thousand 920 doses, which entered 16 lots and expired between March 31 and April 30, 2022.
At the time the doses won, they were stored at -20 ° C in four vans of the National Biological Center (CNB) of the Ministry of Health, for which Q160 per month were paid, in addition to electricity expenses. After several months, vaccines were transferred to a dry winery in the same building.
The Directorate of Regulations for Personal Attention Programs, of the MSPAS, reported that, due to lack of space in the CNB, the doses were transferred to the administrative management facilities, where other supplies are also stored.
The space has approximately 30 square meters and is under security measures to ensure that roads are not stolen.
The Public Ministry (MP) was consulted on the advances in research related to the purchase of Sputnik V vaccines and the time that expired doses will remain stored. The institution replied: “The case is under investigation, so at the moment you cannot delve into details.”
Buy under questions
The purchase of Sputnik V vaccines was indicated from the beginning as opaque. On March 30, 2021, Dr. Amelia Flores, then Minister of Health, announced that Guatemala would pay Q614.5 million to the Russian company Human Vaccine as an advance to receive 16 million doses against COVID-19.
The biological entered the country gradually, and the delivery was completed on December 30 of that same year, with expiration dates not greater than a couple of months, which caused six out of 10 doses to be overcome.
According to official information, Each dose of the Sputnik V vaccine had an approximate price of Q76.80, not including freight expenses.
Only in the payment of the biological Q384 million would have been wasted, which is equivalent to 62% of the Q614.5 million that the country canceled Russia for the product.
During the mandate of Alejandro Giammattei, the contract between the state of Guatemala and the Russian company signed under terms of confidentiality. For that reason, the new authorities took possession without knowing the terms of the agreement.
In April 2024, the Attorney General’s Office, the Ministry of Health and the Presidential Commission against Corruption filed a criminal complaint for the purchase of 16 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine.
One of the points of the accusation indicated that it was illegal to sign a contract with an entity that was not the producer of the vaccines, in addition to not verifying who signed the agreement by the company Human Vaccine. It was also indicated that the document was written in English and that unfavorable conditions were negotiated for the state of Guatemala.
The complaint was not filed before the Public Ministry (MP), but in criminal management of the judicial body.
Biological destruction
The expired doses of Sputnik V had to be destroyed, as established by Ministerial Agreement 534-2011, issued by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS). This agreement regulates the procedure to unsubscribe to the medicines and related products that have expired or are in disuse, including vaccines.
For destruction, the product managers must raise an act in which the reasons why it was not used within the useful life established by the manufacturer. If it is determined that there was intent, guilt, action, omission or negligence in the use of biological, the agreement indicates that those responsible must replenish or pay the value of the defeated product.
On the other hand, the regulation for hospital solid waste management establishes that expired or useless vaccines are considered bioinfectious hospital waste. These must be incinerated or destroyed with authorization from the Ministry of Health. Syringes should be destroyed by a crushing or thermotrituating machine.