COA hits DOH for expired medicines, defective dental cars

The expired medicines and supplies were discovered during a physical inventory at Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila, DOH Davao Region XI and the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City. 

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health has thrown millions of pesos of government money to waste over its failure to efficiently distribute or utilize its procured medicines and dental vehicles, the Commission on Audit said in its latest report.

"Expired drugs and medicines of P5.480 million were found in three DOH agencies while other drugs and medicines and medical supplies of P3.952 million are near expiry in three other DOH agencies," the COA noted in its annual audit report posted on its website on Tuesday.

The expired medicines and supplies were discovered during a physical inventory at Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila, DOH Davao Region (Region XI) office and Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City.

The medicines nearing expiry, which have yet to be used as of the end of 2016, meanwhile, were found at DOH National Capital Region office, DOH Caraga Administrative Region (Region XIII) office, and again, at DOH Davao Region office.

The state auditors pointed to the DOH Central Office's late distribution of the medicines and supplies to the regional offices and hospitals as the primary reason why they were not administered to poor patients before their shelf life.

The COA noted that most of the procured medicines and supplies were delivered to the ROs and hospitals less than a year before their expiry dates.

The suppliers and courier service providers hired by the DOH also share the blame as their delivery of the procured items was delayed by as many as 168 to 218 days, the COA said.

"Moreover, lapses in the delivery performance of suppliers and courier/forwarder were noted which affected the efficient distribution of essential drugs and medicines and medical supplies for healthcare services to patients," the report read.

Over supply

The COA further recorded an "overstock" of drugs and medical supplies amounting P16.434 million which remain idle in two DOH regional offices namely in Cagayan Valley (Region II) and Caraga Administrative Region.

The audit body said this was due to the DOH's "lack of proper procurement planning, coordination in their delivery, and monitoring on utilization or distribution."

Defective dental vehicles

Meanwhile, P43.45-million worth of mobile dental vehicles distributed to NCR, Cagayan Valley, Zamboanga Peninsula and the Caraga Administrative Region could not also be used due to various defects.

Among the deficiencies observed by the auditors in the procured vehicles were defective batteries and air-conditioning units, defective or non-functioning water system and power doors and lack of scalers.

The COA said various dental instruments have yet to be delivered to make the vehicles fully operational.

Furthermore, the COA said hiring of dentists to be positioned in the vehicles is still ongoing. The COA also noted the absence of the a detailed guidelines or instructions from the DOH or the concerned hospitals regarding the utilization of the vehicles.

The COA said the dental vehicles, procured under the DOH's Health Facilities Enhancement Program, are exposed to further deterioration as they remain unutilized and needing repair.

Recommendations

The COA asked the DOH to improve its coordination with the regional offices and hospitals to properly plan the timing of procurement of medicines and supplies with "careful consideration of the need and expiration of the inventories."

The COA said the DOH should also be more strict with the suppliers and couriers regarding the delivery of the procured items within the dates specified in the contracts or otherwise, impose sanctions against them.

As to the defective dental vehicles, the COA said the DOH must "establish a systematic coordination with recipient facilities/offices to address all issues to make the equipment operational, including the availability of necessary personnel, [especially] the dentists."

The COA said the DOH must impose sanctions against the suppliers of the defective equipment as well as against the health personnel who inspected and accepted the delivery thereof.

The COA noted in its report that the DOH has agreed with the recommendations.