The Commission on Audit (COA) flagged nearly ₱217 million worth of expired medicines in the Department of Health’s (DOH) medical inventory as of Dec. 31 last year. COA also noted that another ₱476.5 million worth of medicines are set to expire.
“These figures suggest that procurement planning and inventory management could be further refined to prevent overstocking. The volume of near-expiry medicines also presents a risk that supplies may lapse before reaching beneficiaries,” COA stated in its report.
“This situation impacts the timely distribution of medical resources and could lead to the inefficient use of government funds,” it added.
COA had earlier flagged DOH for inventory deficiencies, including delays in recording and lack of documentation on the movement of medicines.
The report also questioned whether demand was properly assessed and if the volume matched actual needs.
In the same report, COA recommended that DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa require agency heads to implement stricter timelines and closely monitor the disposal of expired drugs, medicines, and medical supplies to prevent delays and minimize storage costs.
It also urged efficiency in distribution through timely coordination with concerned units, prioritization of expiring medicines, and identification of the specific causes of expired stocks. (Aaron Recuenco)
