MEDICAL supplies worth over P11 billion expired while stored in Department of Health (DOH) facilities, the Commission on Audit (COA) said.The items included drugs and 7,035,161 vials of Covid-19 vaccine.In its 2023 audit report on the DOH, COA said the items had expired 'without being utilized due to inadequate procurement planning and poor distribution and monitoring systems.'The items that had expired included '24,539 bags of donated dialysis solution.'COA said the DOH warehouse manager tried to explain the expired vaccines by saying he was waiting for further instruction from the end-user.COA attributed the vaccine wastage to the non-willingness of the priority group for the succeeding booster shots, the reluctance of local government units and health facilities to accept the vaccines due to a lack of cold room storage, and doubt if the vaccines could be administered before their expiry; and most of the quarantined or expired vaccines delivered 'were already in its extended life.'The DOH told COA that proactive measures were being implemented in vaccine procurement, storage and inventory.
