According to the Auditor General’s 2023 report, between January 2023 and June 2024, the Ministry of Health disposed of expired drugs valued at $3.228 billion.
The report also revealed that an additional $2.332 billion worth of expired drugs remains in the ministry’s inventory, awaiting disposal.
It added that while a Register of Expired Drugs was not presented for Audit Examination, the ministry provided lists containing expired drugs disposed of and those on hand to be disposed of at the Diamond Materials Management Unit (MMU) and the Ruimveldt locations.
The Audit Office has since recommended that the Head of Budget Agency undertake the following measures: (i) conduct a survey to determine the realistic needs of pharmaceuticals and other medical supplies at these Institutions and ensure the proper storage of Drugs and Medical Supplies in order to reduce losses through expiration of improper storage; and (ii) dispose of all expired drugs in accordance with the Food and Drug Regulations.
The Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony back in 2021, had lambasted the former A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government of being wasteful and incompetent when he alleged that close to $10B of drugs and medical were dumped under the former administration’s watch between 2015 and 2021.
He promised that those responsible would be held accountable.
Now, the ministry Dr Anthony heads has found itself in a similar situation. The entity’s response to the Audit Office’s findings was: “The Head of Budget acknowledged the finding”.
