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AG Report on GPHC…Another $58M of expired drugs discovered in 2013
Even as the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) seeks new ways to manage its drugs supply, the 2013 Auditor General Report has shown that $58M of expired drugs were discovered during the year.
Over the years, the AG Report has been flagging millions of dollars worth of expired drugs and, in the 2013 Report, it was no different.
According to the extensive document, there were 202 additional instances of expired drugs for the period under review, which concluded on December 31, 2013. The new discoveries had an approximate value of $58.059M, the report stated.
The situation is compounded by the fact that up to the reporting period the Corporation was still to dispose of 129 instances of expired drugs totaling $41.725M. These instances, the Report added, were noted during a verification exercise conducted in June 2013 at GPHC Offsite Location, Ruimveldt and the Pharmacy Bond.
However, this figure had been much higher a few months before June; initially, the verification exercise had recorded 265 instances of expired drugs valued at $65.080M. The figure was reduced to $41.725M after the Corporation was able to dispose of 136 instances of drugs that had a total value of $23.355M.
More and more expired drugs are being dumped by the GPHC
In light of the new discovery, the Audit Office recommended that appropriate action be taken to facilitate the disposal of expired drugs. Additionally, the Audit Office recommended that countrywide surveys be undertaken to determine the “realistic needs” of pharmaceuticals and other medical supplies in order to reduce losses through expired drugs.
In response, the hospital explained steps were being taken to address the management of drugs. According to the Corporation, some of its plans are the daily tracking of drugs, the issuance of drugs with the shortest expiration dates first, and timely update of records along with more frequent issuance management reports of stock expiration and stock levels report.
Additionally, the Corporation said that it is working to curb the procurement of excessive drugs and overstocking.
Meanwhile, the hospital said that it has partnered with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO). According to GPHC, it has recognised its various challenges with regards to the increased demands for medicines. PAHO, it said, will assist in mitigating some of these challenges.
“Currently, this partnership has borne fruit and PAHO through its consultant is in the process of implementing a Purchasing, Inventory & Distribution Software (Supply Chain Management System) in the pharmacy. This software will provide real time data and will capture dispense to user information which will enable a more accurate and effective quantification and forecast,” GPHC said.
Expired drugs have continued to be a hot topic and pharmaceutical company New GPC has been receiving much criticism. Over the years, New GPC, owned by Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop, has been the provider of medical supplies to state-owned health institutions.
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