AG’S REPORT CITES MORE MINISTRY OF HEALTH WOES

By ADRIAN MWANZA ARV’s and other essential drugs worth K533, 818 in some districts expired because of negligence by health personnel, the 2020 Auditor General’s report has revealed. The report indicates that the drugs which were disposed of after being certified not fit for human consumption, expired as a result of delayed distribution to the facilities, procurement of drugs with short expiry periods, delivery of drugs not ordered, incomplete cocktails supplied that could not be used individually and over procurements. According to the report, drugs worth K22, 085 at Kabwe Provincial Health Office were disposed while Ndola Provincial Health Office had drugs worth K13, 577 disposed. Ndola Teaching Hospital disposed of drugs worth K46, 748 while Kitwe Central Hospital had drugs worth K14, 572 expire while Solwezi District Health had K197, 200. Kabompo District Health Office had K137, 564 worth of drugs disposed while Kabompo Hospital had lost drugs worth K66, 164 The inspection of medical storage facilities which revealed the condition was carried out in April 2021.