Gokce KARAKOSE, Hami YESILYURT / ISTANBUL, (DHA) – Nowadays, cat and dog owners are struggling to find mixed vaccine that protects pets against 5 diseases. Istanbul Chamber of Veterinarians Head Prof. Dr. Murat Arslan said that a large part of the production capacity of mixed vaccines produced for animals is reserved for Covid-19 vaccines due to the coronavirus. Stating that there is a problem in the supply of flacons, Arslan said that this situation caused the stock crisis in the mixed vaccine.
Stating that there has been a stock shortage for a long time in mixed vaccines made to prevent the formation of more than one different disease in cats and dogs, Istanbul Chamber of Veterinarians Head Prof. Dr. Murat Arslan made statements on the topic. “One of the most important reasons is that people adopt a large number of animals. People alone at home began to adopt animals, which increased demand. The need for not only mixed vaccines, but also all other vaccines and materials has increased. We know that 1.5 million vaccines were shot in cats in the past, today this has exceeded 2 million” said Arslan emphasizing that stock shortage is both in the world and in Turkey.
PRODUCTION CAPACITY IS RESERVED TO CORONAVIRUS VACCINES
Expressing that the demand for other vaccines has increased with the pandemic Dr. Arslan said, “A part of the vaccine production capacity in the world, especially with the coronavirus, has been reserved for coronavirus vaccines. There are some problems at this point. Vaccine production centers that used to be stocked with great potential in the past have now allocated some of their capacities to the production of coronavirus vaccines. This has also become a factor. As the vaccine production increased, the raw material, flacon, and the ingredients of the vaccines began get affected. And unfortunately, the problem got bigger.”
COUNTRIES ARE MARKETING VACCINES ACCORDING TO THEIR PROFITABILITY
Expressing that the marketing strategy of the countries was also a factor in the stock crisis, Dr. Arslan said “In whichever regions countries see more profitability, they go for a way of marketing their vaccines there. Our country has also been affected by this issue. Importer companies in Turkey could not make their foresights about import and its planning or could not keep up with the demand.”
SAFETY STOCK IS ALSO OUT; THE PROBLEM WILL CONTINUE UNTIL DECEMBER
Stating that companies have a safety stock item and a certain amount of products are always kept in stock, “These are also out of stock. When we look at this whole process, we will have problems with the vaccines for a while. When we discussed with the companies, it is thought that these problems will continue until December and beyond. A certain progress has been made, especially in terms of agents and other materials” Arslan said. He also expressed that all vaccines are imported and that the work of vaccine production centers in Turkey should be supported.
ANIMALS LEFT IN THE BACKGROUND
Veterinary practitioner Assistant Professor Dr. Levent Bayraktar said, “Most of the companies that produce the vials containing the vaccines have started to produce the corona vaccine vials so that they can be delivered to the people as soon as possible. During this period, animals remained in the background. Since the production of many of vials went to coronavirus vaccines, we also experienced a lack of cat mixed vaccines in our country.”
MINISTRY: VACCINE SUPPLY PROCESS IS ACCORDING TO THE CALENDAR
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry made a statement to DHA on the subject. “In our country, there are sufficient number of cat and dog vaccines licensed by our Ministry to protect the health of cats and dogs. In cases where the market need cannot be met, the needed vaccines are met through imports. Due to the pandemic, the increase in the number of pets adopted in our country, as in the whole world, has also increased the need for vaccination. The supply process of the cat and dog vaccines needed in our country, especially the mixed vaccines, continues in accordance with the determined schedule” said in the written statement.
