…accuses APNU+AFC of mismanaging health sector
By Svetlana Marshall
Three hundred (300) truckloads of expired drugs and medical supplies valuing approximately $3B have been dumped by the Ministry of Health since the change in Administration in August, 2020, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony disclosed on Monday even as he accused the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Administration of mismanagement.
Minister Anthony made the disclosure during a virtual press conference on Monday in the presence of his Advisor, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and Permanent Secretary, Malcolm Watkins among other officials.
According to Dr. Anthony, when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) took Office, the Health Ministry’s Materials Management Unit (MMU) was full to capacity, however, a large percentage of the medicines and medical supplies were expired.
“More than 80% of the MMU bond space was occupied with expired medicines and supplies, and therefore we could not use these medicines; and so, since August of 2020, we have been working very hard with the Food and Drugs Department to start clearing out all of these expired medicines that we have at the MMU,” the Health Minister told the press.
Minister Anthony said the Health Ministry dumped close to $1B worth of expired drugs and medical supplies between August and September 2020.
From October to now, the Health Ministry had cause to dispose another $1B worth of expired medicines and medical supplies that were stored in the MMU Bond.
“In fact, when you look at it, we had about 300 truckloads of expired medicines that we had to throwaway and this of course, is very costly to the country, to all of us as tax payers, when you buy these things and you can’t use them,” he told reporters.
Dr. Anthony added: “And the amount of medicine that we have thrown away from the MMU does not take into consideration some of the expired medicines that we had at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, and so that too, when we look at it, we estimate that it is probably about $3B worth of medicines that had to be thrown away.”
According to the Health Minister, the figures were derived from a comprehensive audit that was conducted. Currently, regional warehouse facilities are being audited to determine their state of affairs.
Investigation thus far has revealed that the MMU’s electronic information system was dysfunctional and as such, the Health Ministry was unable to effectively detect expire goods within the system as well as the stock levels.
This, Minister Anthony said, is a clear case of mismanagement.
“The Ministry so far had to discard what we inherited about 70% of the medicines that were in the bond, and what this speaks to is the mismanagement of the whole procurement process and in terms of not being able to get these medicines out in a timely manner to the people who need them,” he said. It was explained that a significant of percentage of the expired drugs were not in demand by the public health facilities.
He submitted that between 2015 and 2021, close to $10B of expired medicines and medical supplies have been disposed of. The APNU+AFC had made a similar claim after it took office in 2015. It’s Health Minister, Volda Lawrence had pointed to cases in which millions of dollars-worth of drugs and medical supplies from GPHC and the West Demerara Public Hospital had to be dumped due to them being expired.
Nonetheless, Dr. Anthony said the audits done at the MMU and GPHC, together with those being conducted within the 10 administrative regions will help the Ministry to better address the shortages of drugs and medical supplies. There have been shortages of medicines to treat patients suffering from Tuberculosis, HIV, Hypertension and Diabetes among other diseases. Minister Anthony said too that there was also a shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).
To remedy the situation, Minister Anthony said the Health Ministry procured close to $12B in drugs and medical supplies.
“Of this $12B we spent $4B on essential medicines, and we spent another $5B acquiring PPEs, and $3B to purchase reagents so that our laboratories can function,” he explained. Additional medicines and medical supplies are being procured.
