Capitol starts probe of buried medicines
AGBAYANI: NOT A BIG DEAL
LINGAYEN—The Commission on Audit (CoA) and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) are investigating possible violations of law committed by the past provincial administration upon discovery of crates of expired medicines and medical equipment buried at the premises of the provincial capitol here.
The location of the buried medicines and equipment was revealed by a provincial employee who was already in service during the administration of former Governor and now Second District Rep. Victor Agbayani.
Paterno Orduna, executive assistant at the provincial government and tasked by Gov. Amado Espino, Jr. to lead the investigation, said the retrieval and probe into the matter is being undertaken without offense meant to the former governor.
The buried medicines and equipment are estimated to be worth millions of pesos.
AGBAYANI
Agbayani, in response, said the discovery of buried expired medicines at the premises of the provincial capitol in Lingayen is “no big deal”.
“Let’s not make mountains out of molehills,” said Agbayani during the “Engkwentro sa Lenox” of the Pangasinan Press Club.
Agbayani, welcoming the probe, said “We should let Colonel Orduna finish the investigation first so that the truth about this can be ascertained.”
Agbayani stressed that is it “normal” to find expired medicines in hospitals, public or private, and even in the Department of Health.
BAD PRACTICE
Orduna said the discovery of these buried items, possibly buried between 2005 and 2006, indicates a bad practice of over-purchasing by the past provincial administration.
He said the medicines were disposed of in a hole as deep as 10 to 12 feet at the back of the Provincial Motor Pool and Sison Auditorium when they apparently became unfit for human consumption.
The medical equipment was found still intact in the original packaging.
He said COA, CIDG and other government agencies will track the paper trail to find out if the past administration violated laws in connection with the delivery of the medicines and equipment meant for the various provincial-run district hospitals.
The investigation will try to establish if government accounting and auditing procedures as well as other laws were followed.
“It was very surprising why there were expired medicines when many people complained of their inability to source medicines from government hospitals,” Orduña said.
Provincial Health Officer Jackson Soriano identified some of the expired medicines as antibiotics, and drugs for amoebiasis or intestinal infection, tuberculosis, among others.
There were also betadine antiseptic solution, ascorbic acid, vitamin tablets, ampoules, contraceptive pills, anesthesia, intra-venous plastic tubes, condoms, and blood bags.
Most of the medicines had expiry dates of 1998 and 2004.
Soriano said the disposal of the expired medicines was inappropriate and definitely violated environmental laws.
He said it indicated that there was over-procurement by the past administration, resulting in the stockpiling of medicines and equipment.
He added that some of the buried supplies possibly included donations by various entities, including over-seas Pangasinenses who donated medicines that were about to expire.
In reaction, Agabayani said the expired medicines could not have possibly been bought by the provincial government because the provincial government instituted pooled procurement of medicines in 2002.
This meant that the 14 hospitals run by the province, instead of buying their own supplies, submitted their requirements so that the province can buy these in bulk through public bidding, which would allow for cheaper prices.
Agbayani said the system was commended by the United States Agency for International Development for its efficiency and eliminated corrupt practices.
“So if there were expired medicines, it was the hospital that were disposing these off, not the provincial capitol,” Agbayani said.—LM
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