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West Dem. Hospital ‘wastage’…Expired hand sanitisers are Food for the Poor donation – officials
Health officials are claiming that more than 150 boxes of expired hand sanitisers that were to be dumped by the West Demerara Regional Hospital were donated by Food For The Poor Incorporated, earlier this year.
A photo of the stacked boxes was printed in the front page of Kaieteur News on Wednesday, last (August 29) raising the question whether taxpayers’ money had been well spent.
The boxes of expired hand sanitisers at the West Demerara Regional Hospital which health officials claimed were donated by Food For The Poor Inc.
The photograph was part of an article on the deplorable conditions of the hospital which has been the subject of much criticism in recent times.
Yesterday, apparently the Regional Health Services held a press conference to clear the air but Kaieteur News, in what seems to be an increasing trend by a number of government agencies, was not invited, and as such questions could not be asked. Rather, a government release was issued of the press conference.
The health officials, including Director, Regional Health Services (Ag.), Dr. Irv Chand, claimed in the release that the items were donated by Food for The Poor Inc., and were not received and stored by the institution prior to meeting expiration date, “hence taxpayers’ money was not involved”.
According to the officials, the Purell Hand Sanitisers were donated in March 2012 along with a stock of Nyquil which has not yet expired.
There are currently 30 remaining boxes of hand sanitisers and 124 cases of Nyquil suspension, the release said.
In the front page photo printed by Kaieteur News, there were more than 100 boxes.
Chand noted that the hand sanitisers were donated for the purpose of aiding the promotion of proper hand-cleansing practices by staff and the extended community. He explained that the hand sanitisers are not a threat to the staff and patients of the institution since they are for external use.
He insisted that the purpose of an expiratory date is to restrict the use of an item.
Chand explained that while the hand sanitisers were not a hazard, other consumable items can be harmful, and as such, the Health Ministry is not advocating that the hospital’s administration or health centres use items that are expired.
According to the statement, the Health Ministry has already established, for donated items, a period that it should be in the country before it can be used, and that is a six-month shelf life, as this allows adequate time for the items to be distributed and utilised.
Chand stated that the Ministry has a policy that should be enforced more strictly, whereby due process must be applied with respect to donations coming from external organisations.
Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr. Ravi Persaud, indicated that the hand sanitisers were stored originally in the drug bond, but were removed to the shedded corridor to facilitate storage of other drugs.
He argued that there has been an upward trend in hand sanitising which has resulted in the reduction of infections throughout health facilities in Region Three.
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