State auditors flagged the Department of Health over P7 billion in medicines, and different stock objects that had been discovered to be expired and undistributed.
In its 2022 annual audit report, the Commission on Audit (COA) stated medicine, medicines, and different varieties of inventories amounting to P7,430,901,637 had been expired, close to expiry, broken, overstocked, understocked, delayed, or undistributed.
Of these things, P2.3 million had been expired inventories, P203.6 million had been overstocked, P5 billion had been slow-moving, and P1.5 billion had been undistributed.
“The presence of overstocked and slow-moving inventory items evidenced excessive spending as the procured items comprised volume of inventory far more than what the Centers for Health Development (CHD) and OUs presently need,” the COA stated.
The COA added that poor procurement planning and poor distribution and monitoring methods resulted in “wastage of government funds and resources.”
“Overall, the problem exposed Management’s inability to safeguard, manage, and utilize health funds and resources economically and effectively,” it stated.
Due to this, COA suggested the DOH to direct provide officers to require assure letters from suppliers for deliveries with shelf life and report objects which are about to run out for acceptable motion.
It additionally known as on the DOH to impose sanctions on erring suppliers for repeatedly violating the rules.
State auditors additionally famous that 1.6 million COVID-19 doses and 366,461 vials wasted nationwide. COA stated there have been additionally greater than 11,000 COVID-19 vials had been close to expiry.
COA attributed this to the refusal of native authorities models and different implementing companies to just accept the vaccines as a consequence of abundance, lack of storage, low demand, late supply, and desire for manufacturers.
GMA News Online sought remark from the DOH on the matter, however the Health Department had but to obtain a response as of posting time. — DVM, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
